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INNOVATION
Clinically viable optically-pumped magnetometer (OPM) for magnetoencephalography (MEG)
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Market Maturity: Tech Ready
These are innovations that are progressing on technology development process (e.g. pilots, prototypes, demonstration). Learn more
Market Creation Potential
This innovation was assessed by the JRC’s Market Creation Potential indicator framework as having a Noteworthy” level of Market Creation Potential. Only innovations that are showing multiple signals of market creation potential are assigned a value under this indicator system. Learn more
Women-led innovation
A woman had a leadership role in developing this innovation in at least one of the Key Innovator organisations listed below.
Go to Market needs
Needs that, if addressed, can increase the chances this innovation gets to (or closer to) the market incude:
  • Prepare for Market entry
  • Scale-up market opportunities
Location of Key Innovators developing this innovation
Key Innovators
UN Sustainable Development Goals(SDG)
This innovation contributes to the following SDG(s)
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL 3
Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages

The UN explains: "Significant strides have been made in increasing life expectancy and reducing some of the common killers responsible for child and maternal mortality.

Major progress has also been made on increasing access to clean water and sanitation, reducing malaria, tuberculosis, polio and the spread of HIV/AIDS.

However, many more efforts are needed to control a wide range of diseases and address many different persistent and emerging health issues."

The EU-funded Research Project
This innovation was developed under the Horizon Europe project OPMMEG with an end date of 30/11/2025
  • Read more about this project on CORDIS
Description of Project OPMMEG
Magnetoencephalography (MEG) is a non-invasive imaging technique for investigating human brain function, uniquely capable of measuring brain activity with good spatial and temporal resolution. MEG operates by detecting magnetic fields naturally produced by the brain, with no applied fields or injections. Epilepsy diagnosis is the most advanced clinical application for MEG. Six million people are affected by epilepsy in Europe alone, with about 300 000 new cases every year. Use cases for MEG are growing, for example diagnosis of mild traumatic brain injuries (TBI), which represents more than half of the 2.5 million new TBI cases each year in Europe. Clinical use of MEG is at present limited to large hospitals and elite clinics due to space, cost and the need for specialized cryogenics technicians. Optically pumped magnetometers (OPMs) are a cryogen-free quantum sensor technology with extraordinary magnetic sensitivity. Relative to cryogenic methods, OPM provide a superior balance of sensitivity, size and proximity to the cortex, but have not yet been implemented in technologies that are simultaneously manufacturable at scale, high-performing, and cost-effective. OPMMEG will develop an OPM array that meets these requirements for wide-spread use of OPMs in MEG, and demonstrate its application to magnetoencephalography. The project brings together world leaders in quantum sensor components and systems, commercial MEG systems and MEG applications. OMPMEG will build a value chain from photonic devices to systems connecting all relevant stakeholders. The consortium is composed of 2 SMEs, 2 world-class research organizations and 1 university from 3 European countries. The position of these organizations in their respective markets guarantees that the project results will be widely exploited, providing the companies with a technological advantage over their worldwide competitors thus creating new high-tech jobs and technology leadership in Europe.

Innnovation Radar's analysis of this innovation is based on data collected on 22/02/2024.
The unique id of this innovation in the European Commission's IT systems is: 118801