OXiNEMS · Project

Cheaper Brain Imaging Sensors That Work Without Expensive Liquid Helium Cooling

healthPrototypeTRL 4Thin data (2/5)

Imagine trying to listen to the faintest whisper in a crowded room — that's what brain scanners do when they pick up the tiny magnetic signals your neurons produce. Today's best sensors need to be cooled to near absolute zero with liquid helium, which is expensive and bulky. OXiNEMS built a new kind of tiny mechanical sensor made from special oxide materials that works at a much warmer temperature using liquid nitrogen instead — roughly 20 times cheaper to cool. Because these sensors can sit closer to your head, they also pick up brain signals with sharper detail than before.

By the numbers

77K

Operating temperature (liquid nitrogen), vs 4K for current SQUID sensors

Prototype devices demonstrated (Si resonator, optical setup, superconducting converter, oxide resonator)

Consortium partners across 4 countries

Total project deliverables completed

SMEs in the consortium (33% industry ratio)

The business problem

What needed solving

Brain imaging with MEG and ultra-low-field MRI currently depends on SQUID sensors that must be cooled to 4K with liquid helium — driving up equipment and maintenance costs and limiting which facilities can afford to operate them. These sensors are also fragile when exposed to the pulsed magnetic fields needed for combining MEG with MRI or brain stimulation, preventing multi-modal brain imaging on a single device.

The solution

What was built

The team built 4 working prototypes: a silicon-based nanomechanical resonator, a first-of-its-kind oxide microresonator, a high-temperature superconducting flux-to-field converter, and a fully customized optomechanical readout setup. Together, these form the building blocks for a new type of biomagnetic sensor that operates at 77K with optical signal detection.

Audience

Who needs this

MEG system manufacturers looking to reduce cooling costs and improve sensor robustnessMRI equipment companies exploring ultra-low-field portable imagingNeuroscience research labs wanting affordable MEG capabilityIndustrial NDT companies needing ultrasensitive magnetic field detectionMedtech startups developing next-generation brain-computer interfaces

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Medical Imaging Equipment

enterprise

Target: Manufacturers of MEG and MRI systems

If you are a medical device manufacturer dealing with the high cost and maintenance burden of liquid-helium-cooled SQUID sensors in your MEG systems — this project developed oxide-based nanomechanical sensors with all-optical readout that operate at 77K (liquid nitrogen) instead of 4K (liquid helium). This dramatically cuts cooling costs and simplifies maintenance while enabling smaller working distances for higher spatial resolution.

Neuroscience Research Instruments

mid-size

Target: Companies supplying brain research laboratories and clinical neuroscience centers

If you are a scientific instrument supplier whose customers complain about the cost and complexity of running MEG labs — this project built prototype oxide microresonators and optomechanical readout setups that could replace legacy SQUID-based detectors. The 77K operating temperature means simpler cryogenics and lower running costs for research institutions, potentially opening MEG to more labs worldwide.

Industrial Sensor Manufacturing

mid-size

Target: Companies making precision magnetic field sensors for non-destructive testing or geophysics

If you are a sensor manufacturer looking for next-generation ultrasensitive magnetic detectors beyond traditional SQUIDs — this project introduced a new class of NEMS and MEMS devices built from crystalline oxide heterostructures. With 4 demonstrated prototype types including silicon-based and oxide microresonators, the platform could extend to any application requiring robust detection of weak magnetic fields.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

How much could this reduce operating costs compared to current brain imaging sensors?

Current MEG systems use SQUID detectors cooled in liquid helium baths at 4K, which is expensive to maintain. OXiNEMS sensors operate at 77K using liquid nitrogen, which is roughly 20 times cheaper per liter and far simpler to handle. Exact cost savings depend on system design, but the shift from helium to nitrogen cooling is a well-known major cost reducer in cryogenic applications.

Can this technology scale to full brain imaging systems?

The project demonstrated 4 prototype devices including silicon-based resonators and oxide microresonators with customized optomechanical readout. Scaling to a full MEG helmet with hundreds of sensors would require further engineering. Based on available project data, the core sensing elements and readout approach have been proven at the component level.

What is the intellectual property situation?

The project was coordinated by Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (Italy) under an RIA funding scheme with 6 partners across 4 countries. IP generated under Horizon 2020 RIA projects is typically owned by the partner that created it. Licensing arrangements would need to be discussed directly with the relevant consortium partners.

How does this compare to other emerging MEG technologies like OPM sensors?

OXiNEMS takes a different approach using nanomechanical resonators with optical readout rather than optically pumped magnetometers (OPMs). The key differentiator is robustness to static and pulsed magnetic fields, which is critical for combining MEG with MRI and Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation on the same system — something current SQUIDs and most alternatives struggle with.

What is the timeline to a commercial product?

The project ran from 2019 to 2024 under FET Open, which funds frontier research. With 4 prototype devices demonstrated and 17 total deliverables completed, the technology is at an early prototype stage. Based on available project data, reaching a commercial product would likely require additional development and clinical validation phases.

Is there regulatory complexity for medical applications?

Brain imaging devices fall under medical device regulations (EU MDR). Any commercial MEG or MRI system incorporating OXiNEMS sensors would require CE marking and clinical validation. The consortium includes 2 industrial partners and 2 SMEs, which suggests some pathway toward commercialization was considered during the project.

Consortium

Who built it

The OXiNEMS consortium brings together 6 partners from 4 countries (Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Sweden), coordinated by Italy's National Research Council. The mix of 3 universities and 1 research organization provides strong scientific depth in oxide materials and nanomechanics, while 2 industrial partners (both SMEs) add practical engineering perspective. The 33% industry ratio is moderate for a FET Open project, which typically leans more academic. For a business looking to license or co-develop this technology, the SME partners may be the most accessible entry points, as they are likely closer to product thinking than the university labs.

CONSIGLIO NAZIONALE DELLE RICERCHECoordinator · IT
META GROUP SRLparticipant · IT
UNIVERSITY OF HAMBURGparticipant · DE
UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI GABRIELE D'ANNUNZIO DI CHIETI-PESCARAparticipant · IT
CHALMERS TEKNISKA HOGSKOLA ABparticipant · SE

How to reach the team

Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Italy — reach out to the project coordinator through the CNR institutional channels or the project website

Order a report on this consortium See CONSIGLIO NAZIONALE DELLE RICERCHE profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore licensing OXiNEMS sensor technology or connecting with the consortium partners? SciTransfer can arrange a direct introduction to the right team.

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