Shimadzu Introduces LIGHTNIRS Portable Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy System for Brain Imaging Research

Shimadzu Scientific Instruments (SSI) announces the release of its LIGHTNIRS functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) system. LIGHTNIRS expands opportunities for brain imaging research by providing high-quality Blood Oxygen Level Dependent (BOLD) signals of the cerebral cortex in a compact, wearable design.

With its compact size, LIGHTNIRS easily fits inside of a specially designed backpack, providing a comfortable fit for a variety of tasks. A lithium ion battery enables operation of LIGHTNIRS for up to four hours before recharging is required. This combination of battery power and portability provides researchers enhanced flexibility, allowing them to bring the instrument to various locations for measurements or to have subjects wear it during real-life activities requiring more mobility. This contrasts with conventional MRI, which requires individuals to be constrained inside a scanner during measurement acquisition.

LIGHTNIRS incorporates safe, yet powerful, Class 1 three-wavelength semiconductor lasers and photodiode detectors to provide superior signal quality and sensitivity that ensures the highest signal quality while maintaining the portability features. An advanced integrated probe design enables a unique mounting of the fiber optic and optode holder device to facilitate a sensitive connection to the head. A flexible fiber arrangement allows users to easily adjust the setup for effective measurement of any brain region of interest. Additionally, specially designed holders or caps enable application-specific measurements including cognitive neuroscience research, motor measurements, as well as medical and rehabilitation research.

Connection to a laptop for instrument control, data acquisition, and data analysis increases portability. A graphical user interface enables multimodal measurements and integration of complex neural and physiological information. During acquisition, data are displayed in real time as both trend graphs and as heat maps, providing instant feedback on localized brain activity. Batch processing and statistical analyses, such as independent component analysis, provide a simple solution for visualizing complex data. LIGHTNIRS and its software also facilitate multi-brain imaging with the synchronization of up to four LIGHTNIRS units.