New wearable scanner a game-changer for brain research in Ireland

Posted on: 04 September 2025

A revolutionary new wearable brain scanner has just arrived in Trinity College Dublin. It is a game-changer for researchers in Ireland studying the brain and seeking to identify the earliest signs of life-changing conditions such as epilepsy, dementia and Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).  

Ireland’s first OPM-MEG system is now up and running at a new brain imaging facility in Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience. It uses quantum technology to track brain networks, in real time, as they respond to different cognitive demands. 

Unlike other brain scanning techniques like MRI where participants must lie motionless while the machine is operating, the OPM-MEG uses a lightweight, adaptable helmet which allows participants to be seated comfortably in a chair or even move freely around a room. This makes it possible to study brain activity during tasks more typical of every daily life and also to scan children and people with brain disorders.

Professor Redmond O'Connell, director of the new MEG facility

The new scanner is hailed as “the most important breakthrough in human brain imaging in the last two decades” by Professor Redmond O'Connell, director of the new MEG facility:

“The new OPM-MEG system here in Trinity will provide scientists with unique information about the timing and location of brain activity which will deepen our understanding of how the brain works and advance our understanding of the origins of brain disorders. It’s a game-changer for researcher working on brain disorders and wider research on the human brain.

“OPM-MEG systems also offer much higher sensitivity and better spatial precision at a lower cost than traditional MEG scanners and has unique potential to change the way that we diagnose and treat conditions like epilepsy.”

For now, the scanner is only available for research use, but it is hoped that it will become available as a clinical diagnostic tool to improve treatment outcomes for patients. A team of scientists from Trinity, Beaumont Hospital and the National Children's Hospital is working to have the OPM MEG system recognised as a diagnostic and presurgical mapping tool by the Health Service Executive.

Trinity Dean of Research, Professor Sinéad Ryan, said:

“The launch of the new MEG Facility is a major milestone for Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience which is this year celebrating its 25th birthday. TCIN has long been at the forefront of brain imaging research internationally and its role in pioneering new techniques and technologies continues with its early adoption of OPM-MEG.

“This exciting new tool will further enhance TCIN’s mission to advance our knowledge of the human brain and mind, contributing to our university’s strategic commitment to intensify our research. The MEG scanning system will allow brain researchers in Trinity and Ireland to continue to push the frontiers of cognitive neuroscience and apply this knowledge to improve the quality of human health and welfare.” 

Ciaran Conneely, Operations Manager TCIN; Daria Monakhovych, PhD candidate School of Psychology and TCIN and Professor Redmond O’Connell, School of Psychology and TCIN 

One of only 14 such machines in the world, the OPM-MEG system is housed in a specially shielded room in Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience room which eliminates external magnetic fields. Funded by Research Ireland, the new facility is now open to researchers across Ireland working in areas such as psychology, neuroscience, artificial intelligence, aging research and neurology.

Professor Colin Doherty, Head of the School of Medicine, Trinity, added:

“MEG imaging has been growing in influence as a method to aid surgical planning for those with severe epilepsy. The potential for OPM-MEG to contribute to this work is a fascinating research question that our neurophysiology research team here and in Beaumont Hospital the National Epilepsy Surgery Centre are  looking forward to addressing.”

How MEG and OPM scanners work: Magnetoencephalography (MEG) is a neuroimaging technique that measures brain activity by detecting magnetic fields produced by electrical currents in the brain. This allows scientists to construct 3-d images showing moment-to-moment changes in brain activity. It offers extremely powerful means to measure brain function and dysfunction in neurological or psychiatric conditions. Conventional MEG scanners are large, heavy, one-size-fits-all, and require participants to remain still in a rigid scanner for long periods of time. They are also very expensive to maintain due to their need for cryogenic cooling. The new OPM-MEG systems, however, are worn like a helmet; they adapt to any head size and allow participants to move freely during a scan. OPM-MEG systems offer higher sensitivity and better spatial precision and, because they do not require cooling, can be run at a lower cost than traditional MEG scanners.

More about Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience: TCIN is home to 50 Principal Investigators and 250 researchers from a wide range of disciplines including Psychology, Psychiatry, Physiology, Pharmacology, Medicine, Biochemistry, Engineering, and Genetics, among others. These diverse disciplinary origins contribute to its core activities – promoting and supporting interdisciplinary basic and translational research, as well as teaching, public engagement, and national leadership in Neuroscience. TCIN houses laboratories for cellular and molecular neuroscience on the 4th floor of the Lloyd building with many shared tissue culture and analysis facilities. In the basement labs we have a world-class neuroimaging suite comprising 2 MRI systems, 3 EEG systems, 2 Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation systems and now our new MEG system. 

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