COSMA
COHERENT OPTICS SENSORS FOR MEDICAL APPLICATIONS
| Coordinatore | UNIVERSITA' DEGLI STUDI DI SIENA
Organization address
address: VIA BANCHI DI SOTTO 55 contact info |
| Nazionalità Coordinatore | Italy [IT] |
| Totale costo | 254˙100 € |
| EC contributo | 231˙300 € |
| Programma | FP7-PEOPLE
Specific programme "People" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013) |
| Code Call | FP7-PEOPLE-2011-IRSES |
| Funding Scheme | MC-IRSES |
| Anno di inizio | 2012 |
| Periodo (anno-mese-giorno) | 2012-04-01 - 2016-03-31 |
Partecipanti
| # | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
UNIVERSITA' DEGLI STUDI DI SIENA
Organization address
address: VIA BANCHI DI SOTTO 55 contact info |
IT (SIENA) | coordinator | 59˙200.00 |
| 2 |
INSTITUT PRO ELEKTRONIKA NA BAN - INSTITUTE OF ELECTRONICS BULGARIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
Organization address
address: TSARIGRADSKO SHOSSE BOULEVARD 72 contact info |
BG (SOFIA) | participant | 62˙400.00 |
| 3 |
UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON
Organization address
address: GOWER STREET contact info |
UK (LONDON) | participant | 35˙200.00 |
| 4 |
UNIWERSYTET JAGIELLONSKI
Organization address
address: Ul. Golebia 24 contact info |
PL (KRAKOW) | participant | 32˙000.00 |
| 5 |
BAR ILAN UNIVERSITY
Organization address
address: BAR ILAN UNIVERSITY CAMPUS contact info |
IL (RAMAT GAN) | participant | 25˙900.00 |
| 6 |
SWANSEA UNIVERSITY
Organization address
address: SINGLETON PARK contact info |
UK (SWANSEA) | participant | 16˙600.00 |
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Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)
'The main objective of the project is to focus theoretical, experimental and clinical research of the participating groups on biomagnetism phenomena, with the specific aim to develop all-optical sensors dedicated to their detection and suitable for applications in clinical diagnostics.
A central role in the project is played by Optical Atomic Magnetometers (OAMs) that have the potential, in terms of sensitivity and budget, for a widespread use in hospitals. OAMs have the needed sensitivity and a very small sensor head, allowing for excellent spatial resolution and optimum coupling. We will develop OAMs specifically for clinical use. We will also adopt an original approach to magnetic shielding that consists of compensating rather than screening spurious magnetic fields. This eliminates the need for an expensive mu-metal isolated room, which would make a large scale use of OAMs in hospitals difficult.
The project sees the participation of 10 research groups from Italy, United Kingdom, Bulgaria, Israel, Armenia, Russia, India, Poland, USA. Nine teams (UniSi, IEBAS, UCL, IAE, IPR, JU, UCB, UC) involved in the project have long-lasting collaboration activities. The groups have the needed competences covering physics as well as medical issues. This makes an efficient transfer of knowledge between the teams absolutely essential. We will establish links between groups, based on complementary competences. Knowledge transfer will be obtained with a reciprocal exchange of young and senior researchers. The obtained results will be transmitted to all involved groups.'
Introduzione (Teaser)
An EU training network intends to provide all hospitals with access to inexpensive and highly sensitive biomagnetism measurement. Currently, an expensive and complex alternative technology is only available at a select few hospitals.
Descrizione progetto (Article)
More than 50 years ago, pioneering work led to the measurement of magnetic fields using optical pumping (excitation using a 'pump' pulse) and probing (measuring changes with a probe pulse) of alkali atoms. More recently, highly sensitive optical atomic magnetometers based on superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs) have gained ground, particularly for biomedical applications. However, they are very expensive and complicated to operate, requiring cryogenic temperatures.
Advances in conventional magnetometer technologies have replaced simple and inexpensive light sources with lasers. Now, highly sensitive measurement of magnetic fields is possible based on optical techniques applied to high-density alkali metal atoms in a vapour. These advances have opened the door to areas previously accessible only with SQUID-based magnetometers. A training network intends to exploit this with EU support of the http://sites.google.com/a/unisi.it/emilio-mariotti/Home/research/cosma (COSMA) (Coherent optics sensors for medical applications) project.
The emerging technology is highly sensitive and already much less expensive than SQUIDs. Innovative compensation of spurious magnetic fields that eliminates the need for expensive isolated rooms will further increase the many benefits.
Scientists are exploiting precise laser spectroscopy experiments, complex theoretical calculations and expertise in biomagnetic phenomena. Ten research groups from Armenia, Bulgaria, India, Israel, Italy, Poland, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States are supporting the training effort. Nine of them have a long and successful history of collaboration.
Research on all lines of inquiry is progressing quite well. To date, 23 of the 25 planned exchanges of the first reporting period have been successfully carried out. The teams have advanced their objectives regarding optical atomic magnetometers with stray magnetic field compensation for medical applications. A novel device for measurement of low-field nuclear magnetic resonance is delivering promising results. The teams have already published first results on their novel systems and techniques.
COSMA is intended to transfer knowledge among teams and researchers, strengthening existing ties and building new ones while advancing scientific expertise related to detection and analysis of biomagnetism. It appears to have found the formula for success and is on the road to cost-effective and high-sensitivity biomagnetism measurement in a magnetically unshielded environment.