Brain sensing

Fully understanding how the human brain works, and what functions differently in disease, remains a mystery to neuroscientists and clinicians alike. Considerable research is needed on this most complex part of the body, which consists of a network of ~100 billion electrical cells – neurons – passing electrical pulses to each other via around 700 trillion connections.

How do we explore the secrets of the brain?

One of the key areas of research at the UK Quantum Technology Research Hub in Sensing, Imaging and Timing is furthering quantum research in magnetometry, specifically in healthcare. Researchers are exploiting Magnetoencephalography (MEG) techniques, which measures the magnetic fields produced by the brain’s electrical currents. This differs from more conventional techniques, for example fMRI (Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging) technology, which measures changes in blood flow to active brain regions. 

Testing the brain scanner

Foetal monitoring

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