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Protecting personnel from the long-term neurological effects of blast exposure has been a persistent challenge for militaries worldwide. Shock waves from heavy weapons or munitions can disrupt brain activity even when no visible injury occurs, yet the effects often fade within hours—well before personnel can be transported to fixed medical imaging facilities. Conventional scanners, confined to hospitals and research centers, miss these early-stage changes, leaving commanders without timely data to guide treatment or return-to-duty decisions.
A new mobile quantum-powered magnetoencephalography (MEG) system aims to close that gap by bringing advanced brain imaging directly to firing ranges and training grounds. Using optically pumped magnetometer (OPM) sensors, the system is designed to detect real-time changes in brain function within minutes of a blast event. For the first time, clinicians will be able to monitor acute neurological responses on-site, capturing a “time-stamped” picture of brain activity that is otherwise lost.
The core innovation lies in miniaturizing quantum MEG technology into a fully mobile laboratory. Instead of requiring shielded hospital rooms and bulky equipment, the system uses highly sensitive quantum sensors that operate at room temperature. Because it is housed in a mobile laboratory, the system can be brought directly to personnel instead of requiring transport to a fixed medical scanner. This eliminates delays and reduces the likelihood of missing subtle neurological disruptions.
According to Interesting Engineering, the mobile scanner is expected to support research across multiple weapon types, analyzing how repeated shock exposure affects brain stability over minutes, hours, and days. Its measurements will help build objective profiles of recovery patterns and identify personnel most at risk of cumulative injury. These insights may inform evidence-based exposure limits, improve diagnostic frameworks, and refine decisions on when individuals can safely resume high-intensity duties.
Beyond its military application, the mobility and sensitivity of OPM-MEG technology could influence emergency response, sports medicine, and civilian neurology. Events such as concussions, seizures, or head trauma that occur outside hospital settings could be assessed within minutes rather than hours. The ability to acquire high-resolution brain data on location may also support disaster response teams and mobile medical units.
Developed under the UK’s National Quantum Technologies Programme, the system integrates a decade of advances in quantum sensing. It is scheduled to become operational by March 2026, marking a step toward field-ready neurological monitoring and a new era of portable neurodiagnostic capability.
