| The Hair Brush that Reads Your Mind |
| Sunday, 07 November 2010 18:59 | |||
 Washington, D.C., November 2010 — A primary technique for measuring and monitoring mental activity, called functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), is often impaired because a person's hair gets in the way. But thanks to a team of researchers at the University of Texas at Dallas and the University of Texas at Arlington, a novel device called a "brush optrode" is providing increased sensitivity with fiber tips designed to thread through hair to enhance scalp contact. www.osa.org
fNIRS is a noninvasive optical technique that measures the brain’s oxygen levels in charting neurological activity. Using fNIRS, this difference in blood oxygen level is determined using a relative spectroscopic measurement at two near infrared wavelengths. This research is expected to open the door to portable, easy-to-use, high-density optical scanning of brain activity. For example, the UT researchers' work focuses on the imaging of changes in cortical plasticity as a function of impairment severity in children with cerebral palsy. According to a member of the research team, the newly developed optrodes could also be potentially useful to a variety of fNIRS projects, including the evaluation of recovery from stroke, changes in brain activity in Alzheimer's patients, pain perception, and assessing developmental changes in normal and impaired pediatric populations. Since 1916, the Optical Society of America (OSA) has grown from a local organization of Rochester. NY, USA based optical scientists and instrument-makers into an international association representing physicists and engineers around the world. Over the years, the enthusiasm and commitment of OSA's members has help to guide and develop the Society into the vital institution it is today. Notably, OSA's growth and evolution are a direct result of the dedication of its members. The following articles and publications emphasize the Society's rich history and pay tribute to the many volunteers who have contributed to its success. For more information, visit www.osa.org. SOURCE: Optical Society of America
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