CAREER: Developing a compact wireless multi-modal detector array for remote sensing and imaging

Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine's Radiology Department is leading a project supported by a $500,000 National Science Foundation grant to develop a compact wireless multi-modal detector array for remote sensing and imaging. The core technological innovation is an implantable Self-Oscillation Encoding Telemeter (SET) sensor designed to simultaneously encode neuronal voltages and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) signals. By integrating these sensing modalities, the project seeks to achieve sensitivity-enhanced neuronal recording and imaging capabilities that could improve diagnostic technologies in healthcare.

The research centers on two principal deployment strategies for SET sensors. First, multiple SETs will be concatenated into a planar array to enable high-resolution mapping of micro-vessel distribution along the brain cortex. This planar array approach aims to provide detailed spatial information about cortical microvasculature, potentially improving the anatomical and functional context for interpreting neuronal signals and MRI contrast. Researchers will align multiple miniaturized SETs along an insertion catheter to obtain depth-resolved measurements that reveal the correlation between MRI signals and neuronal activity across different tissue depths. This catheter-based arrangement is intended to elucidate how MRI signal changes relate to underlying neuronal dynamics with greater specificity than existing techniques.

Beyond neuroimaging and neural monitoring, the project also explores ways to extend SET sensor capabilities through multiplexing and integration of additional sensing modalities. Multiplexing individual sensors and incorporating multiple sensing functions could broaden application areas to include environmental monitoring and other remote sensing tasks, demonstrating the platform's flexibility. The wireless, compact form factor of the detector array is emphasized throughout the project, aiming for minimally invasive deployment and practical utility in both research and clinical settings.

This work highlights a translational pathway from device development to potential clinical benefit. By combining simultaneous neuronal voltage encoding with MRI imaging, the SET-based array could enhance sensitivity for neuronal recording while providing complementary anatomical and physiological images from MRI. Such combined data streams may improve diagnostic accuracy and deepen understanding of neurovascular relationships, particularly through the high-resolution micro-vessel mapping and depth-correlated measurements enabled by the planar array and catheter-aligned sensor configurations.

Supported by NSF funding, this project advances sensor engineering, implantable device design, and multi-modal data integration. Its outcomes may influence future imaging technologies and the development of compact, multiplexed sensor arrays for diverse applications. The research underscores the promise of integrated sensing strategies to create new tools for neuroscience research, clinical diagnostics, and environmental monitoring, anchored by the development and validation of the Self-Oscillation Encoding Telemeter concept.