{"doi":"10.1101/2024.03.06.583313","title":"A Novel, Robust, and Portable Platform for Magnetoencephalography using Optically Pumped Magnetometers","abstract":"Magnetoencephalography (MEG) measures brain function via assessment of magnetic fields generated by neural currents. Conventional MEG uses superconducting sensors, which place significant limitations on performance, practicality, and deployment; however, the field has been revolutionised in recent years by the introduction of optically-pumped-magnetometers (OPMs). OPMs enable measurement of the MEG signal without cryogenics, and consequently the conception of 'OPM-MEG' systems which ostensibly allow increased sensitivity and resolution, lifespan compliance, free subject movement, and lower cost. However, OPM-MEG remains in its infancy with limitations on both sensor and system design. Here, we report a new OPM-MEG design with miniaturised and integrated electronic control, a high level of portability, and improved sensor dynamic range (arguably the biggest limitation of existing instrumentation). We show that this system produces equivalent measures when compared to an established instrument; specifically, when measuring task-induced beta-band, gamma-band and evoked neuro-electrical responses, source localisations from the two systems were highly comparable and temporal correlation was >0.7 at the individual level and >0.9 for groups. Using an electromagnetic phantom, we demonstrate improved dynamic range by running the system in background fields up to 8 nT. We show that the system is effective in gathering data during free movement (including a sitting-to-standing paradigm) and that it is compatible with simultaneous electroencephalography (EEG - the clinical standard). Finally, we demonstrate portability by moving the system between two laboratories. Overall, our new system is shown to be a significant step forward for OPM-MEG technology and offers an attractive platform for next generation functional medical imaging.","journal":"bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)","year":2024,"id":485075,"datarank":0.0,"base_score":0.0,"endowment":0.0,"self_citation_contribution":0.0,"citation_network_contribution":0.0,"self_endowment_contribution":0.0,"citer_contribution":0.0,"corpus_percentile":null,"corpus_rank":null,"citation_count":6,"citer_count":0,"citers_with_citation_signal":0,"citers_with_endowment":0,"datacite_reuse_total":0,"is_dataset":false,"is_dataset_confidence":0.9605,"is_data_producer":false,"deposit_databanks":null,"is_oa":true,"file_count":0,"downloads":0,"has_version_chain":false,"published_date":"2024-01-01","fair_score":null,"fair_percentile":null,"algorithm_id":"datarank_citation_only_1hop_v6","ranking_scope":"data_only","authors":[{"id":806392,"name":"Ryan M. 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Mullinger","orcid":"0000-0002-8164-0274","position":12,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":1021420,"name":"Sebastian C. Coleman","orcid":"0000-0001-7868-2839","position":13,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":806396,"name":"Natalie Rhodes","orcid":"0000-0001-5641-0947","position":14,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":806391,"name":"Molly Rea","orcid":"0000-0002-3487-713X","position":15,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":1214195,"name":"Zoe Tanner","orcid":null,"position":16,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":806393,"name":"Elena Boto","orcid":"0000-0002-0347-280X","position":17,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":1175026,"name":"Xavier De Tiège","orcid":"0000-0003-0127-089X","position":18,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":806397,"name":"Vishal Shah","orcid":"0000-0003-0521-0034","position":19,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":481139,"name":"Matthew J. Brookes","orcid":"0000-0002-8687-8185","position":20,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":1213690,"name":"Holly Schofield","orcid":"0000-0001-8564-7038","position":0,"is_corresponding":true}],"reference_count":73,"raw_metadata":null,"created_at":"2026-07-19T02:07:47.633574Z","pmid":"38558964","pmcid":null,"fwci":null,"citation_percentile":null,"influential_citations":0,"oa_status":null,"license":null,"views":0,"total_file_size_bytes":0,"version_count":0,"fair_f":null,"fair_a":null,"fair_i":null,"fair_r":null,"fair_zscore":null,"fair_rationale":null,"fair_model":null,"fair_agent_version":null,"fair_fulltext_source":null,"fair_has_llm":null,"fair_computed_at":null,"clinical_trials":[],"software_tools":[],"db_accessions":[],"linked_datasets":[],"topics":[]}