“Cerca Magnetics Limited design and fabricate quantum enabled instrumentation for human brain imaging. The Cerca scanner measures magnetic fields generated by neural current flow – a process termed magnetoencephalography (MEG). It generates 3D images of moment-to-moment changes in brain electrophysiology, with millisecond and millimetre precision. This unique window on brain function allows measurement of the neural substrates that underlie cognition, and their breakdown in disease.

Unlike conventional MEG, which employs cryogenically cooled sensors to measure magnetic fields from the brain, the Cerca system uses a new sensing modality called optically pumped magnetometry. Here, the quantum properties of alkali atoms are exploited to measure fields with extremely high precision. This, coupled with Cerca’s patented background field control and sensor array design, offers measurement of brain function with unprecedented accuracy. Unlike existing scanners, the Cerca system adapts to any head shape, meaning uniform coverage and lifespan compliance are possible. Moreover, the lightweight wearable device enables patients to move freely during a scan.

Our system offers new insights into brain function, and the many disorders that affect it. It provides a dramatically enhanced patient experience, and fundamentally new information which will ultimately improve the lives of individuals suffering from debilitating neurological or psychiatric conditions.