Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy

The man on the left is demonstrating a functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) device. It is basically a portable brain imaging device. It sends out near infrared light into the brain and then analyzes the reflected light. Doing this allows scientists to determine brain functions related to blood flow.

Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIR) is a neroimaging modality that enables continuous, noninvasive, and portable monitoring of changes in blood oxygenation and blood volume related to human brain function. Over the last decade, studies in the laboratory have established that fNIR spectroscopy provides a veridical measure of oxygenation and blood flow in the brain. Source

You can see another portable device based on this technology at this website

This technique is a type of functional neuroimaging technology that offers a relatively non-invasive, safe, portable, and low cost method of indirect and direct monitoring of brain activity. By measuring changes in near-infrared light, it allows researchers to monitor blood flow in the front part of the brain. It is still a new technique, so it is not yet widely used in research, but it shows promising results in studies done to-date.

New Scientist has a story about this new technology. Apparently NASA wants to have a portable imaging device that they can use on astronauts in space.

Mission control could use the device to remotely monitor astronauts for signs of brain injury, depression and even mental fatigue that could compromise their ability to make a critical repair of equipment.

That seems a little questionable. Do they really need a brain scanner to diagnose if someone has depression? Why not just ask psychological questions? Researchers never use brain scans to diagnose depression now, so I don't even see how that would be possible. The article also mentions about testing for brain damage.

It could also be used to sense brain damage caused by environmental problems – such as low oxygen or carbon monoxide – in the shuttle or space station.

I'm sure they already have instruments that can detect for low oxygen or carbon monoxide so this seems like it would be unecessary. I think this brain scanning technology may definitely find some use on earth. However it seems impractical to use it in space and the story seems more like hype than fact. I do think there will be an increasing trend towards more highly portable brain imaging devices in the future. I think the ultimate goal would be to have a cheap, portable brain imaging that anyone could buy and keep in their home. That would allow people to scan their own brain if they wanted.
(Image credit: Gary Strangman/MGH)