Functional near-infrared neuroimaging

Abstract

Functional near-infrared (fNIR) spectroscopy is a wearable neuroimaging device that enables the continuous, non-invasive, and portable monitoring of changes in blood oxygen and blood volume related to human brain function. Over the last three years, studies in the laboratory and under field conditions have established the positive correlation between a participant's performance and oxygenation responses as a function of task load. Our findings indicate that fNIR can effectively monitor attention and working memory in real-life situations. These experimental outcomes compare favorably with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies, and in particular, with the blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) signal. The capacity to monitor brain hemodynamics with a wearable device holds promise for the use of fNIR in the creation of a symbiotic relationship between the user and his/her everyday environment. Moreover, under operational conditions, the fNIR system is amenable to integration with other established physiological and neurobehavioral measures, including EEG, eye tracking, pupil reflex, heart rate variability, respiration and electrodermal activity.