Levitating sensor for magnetic fields could detect ultrafaint brain activity
Physicists have developed a new magnetometer using a levitating magnet that is sensitive enough to detect faint brain activity. This device is simpler and more compact than existing technologies like SQUIDs or SERF magnetometers, as it operates at room temperature within a small vacuum chamber.
Why it matters
This innovation could significantly lower the cost and complexity of high-precision brain imaging and neurological research.
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Bluesky Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Whatsapp X Save article View saved research A laser beam tracks the motions of the tiny magnet suspended in a vacuum chamber as it wobbles in response to magnetic fields. Credit: Wei Ji, Peking University
Scientists have turned a levitating magnet into a device for measuring magnetic fields, known as a magnetometer — one that is sensitive enough to detect the faint signals of the brain’s electrical activity. The technique, which is simpler than existing approaches, is reported today in Science 1 .
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