KIT-Macquarie Brain Imaging Laboratory
November 2008
The child MEG system is working successfully and five children aged 4 to 12 have already participated in some MEG studies. We will be celebrating the official launch of our newest MEG system on November 27, 2008.
September 2008
We upgraded our auditory delivery system. National Acoustic Laboratories has designed a state-of-the-art system exclusively for the KIT-Macquarie Brain Research Lab. More details soon.
July 2008
Our adult MEG system has been upgraded from 12-bit resolution to 16-bit resolution. In addition, we have added 32 external channels to accomodate several of our lab users's demands. In July 2008, the world's first whole-head child MEG system was installed at the KIT-Macquarie Brain Research Laboratory. This laboratory is part of the Macquarie Centre for Cognitive Science (MACCS). The new child MEG system adds to an adult MEG system that was launched in 2006. The adult MEG system is the first of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere. With the new child system, the KIT-Macquarie Brain Research Laboratory is the first lab in the world to house two MEG systems in the same location. More information.
December 2006- June 2008
We have been busy working with our MEG system, that we forgot to update the update page! A few events that happened during that time:
Opening ceremonies: On 31st August and 1st September 2006, the Macquarie Centre for Cognitive Science (MACCS) at Macquarie University celebrated the opening of the Southern Hemisphere's first laboratory for functional brain imaging using magnetoencephalography (MEG). This facility provides research opportunities in brain imaging for scholars in Australasia, and will be instrumental in training the next generation of cognitive neuroscientists in Australia. The MEG laboratory is made possible by an Australian Research Council (ARC) Linkage grant in collaboration with Japan's Kanazawa Institute of Technology (KIT) and the following partner institutions across Australia and New Zealand: The University of Newcastle, Swinburne University of Technology, The Australian National University, The University of Melbourne and The University of Auckland. These partner universities have all put funds into the project and Macquarie University has generously provided funds as well as ample space for the laboratory. The ARC Linkage grant of $650,000 will contribute to the cost of equipment, with total funding amounting to over $1.1 million.
Workshop in honor of Prof. Suzuki: Words and Faces (Sept 13-14 2007)
Introduction to MEG Worshop (July 14 and July 16 2008): slides and references coming soon
November 2006
We are working in optimizing our MEG system. Currently, we are running some basic tests and a small pilot experiment to improve the system performance. In the meantime, we are setting up the rest of the laboratory which will have several computers for off-line analyses, a tera-byte X-raid for storage and other equipment for our researchers. We are also trying to optimize our EEG for the simultaneous acquisition of ECG and EOG for artifact rejection.
The KIT team: (bottom from left to right) Miki Kawabata, Tomoya Kimura, Ikunori Yamamoto; (top from left to right) Gen Uehara, Hiroshi Kubota, Jun Kawai, Yoshiaki Adachi, Masakazu Miyamoto. Also in the picture, Graciela Tesan and Craig Richardson from MACCS.
August 2006
On 31st August, MACCS celebrated the opening of the KIT-Macquarie Brain Research Laboratory, featuring the Southern Hemisphere's first adult MEG system, which is funded in part by an ARC LIEF grant in collaboration with with Japan's Kanazawa Institute of Technology (KIT) and the following partner institutions across Australia and New Zealand: The University of Newcastle, Swinburne University of Technology, The Australian National University, The University of Melbourne and The University of Auckland.
As part of the celebration, we planned two workshops on MEG - Thursday afternoon (31st August) and Friday afternoon (1st September). The aim of these workshops is to introduce the research community to MEG techniques and analysis.
July 2006The MEG system has been installed!
Control Computer and Real time monitors that track the magnetic activity generated by the brain. Dipoles: the red and green dots (dipoles) show the location of the brain area that is active when listening to 1000Hz tones. The blue dots represent the location of the sensors. These data show averaged responses of 3 subjects. Dr Blake Johnson (U of Auckland) is ready to participate in an AEF experiment
The MEG Lab site is almost finished. On July 17th, a team of KIT engineers and physics will install the MEG system.
CCommon working area and staff offices Before the construction of the lab space, we sealed the MSR off to prevent contamination. MEG working area: Before MEG working area: After
May 2006
On 25 May, we visited the MEG Lab construction site. The construction is scheduled to be finished by the end of June; the fitout project for the whole building is planned to be finished by early July at which stage we will be able to access our lab space. We are hoping to install the rest of the MEG system (dewar, electronics, acquisition computers and stimuli system) around the third and fourth week of July.
This picture was taken from the future location of the lab entrance door. To the right, the walls for the planned offices.
Staff offices
Future location of the control and acquisition computers. On the left of the picture, the MSR has been covered to prevent any damage as the construction proceeds.
April 2006
On 30 April, Fujihira Co. finished the construction of the Magnetically Shielded Room (MSR). Five engineers from Japan and one from China worked for two weeks on the 8.5 ton room. The room consists of two layers of aluminium frames covered with 4,000 permalloy plates. The permalloy plates make up the 3 shielding layers. In addition, there is one layer made of copper. Over 12,000 screws were used. Delays on the fitout of the buidling facilities has forced us to postpone the opening of the lab until the end of August 2006. Currently, the space is locked down, as the construction of the rest of the faciliites has started. We are looking forward to the installation of the MEG system in July.
March 2006:
We are now expecting the MSR material to arrive 10 April, 2006 at Sydney Port. The Fujihira Co. team expects to start the MSR construction on 16 April, 2006. The MEG equipment is expected to arrive in May.
The Macquarie Research Office Ethics Committee has approved our Ethics application with some minor comments.
The floor strengthing project is now finished.
February 2006:
In February, the first steps towards the construction of the KIT-MACCS MEG lab started. During the first week of this month, the air-conditioning ducts were removed in anticipation for the floor strengthening. The floor reinforcement is a necessary step in order to support the 8.5 tons of the MSR. In addition, the presence of mercury lights directly underneath the location of the MSR was found to be a serious noise source during an enviromental magnetic noise measurements performed by Dr Yoshiaki Adachi from KIT. As a consequence, the electric wiring and the lights have also been removed.
In addition, the schedule for the delivery of the MSR and the MEG has been tentatively set, pending some transportation issues and custom clearance. The MSR will arrive in Sydney the first week of March and the Fujihira Co. team, in charge of building the MSR, will arrive shortly thereafter. The completion of the MSR is tentatively scheduled for 4 April. Around that time, the MEG system will also arrive. If all goes well, the KIT team will be assembling the MEG around 10 April. Amendment: Delays on the fitout of the buidling facilities has forced us to postpone the opening of the lab until the end of August 2006.
An ethics application has been submitted to the Macquarie Research Office in order to start piloting experiments as soon as the MEG system is operational.
Before After January 2006:
Strengthening of the floor underneath the Magnetically Shielded Room (MSR) has been scheduled for February 2006.
December 2005:
The engineers in charge of building the magnetic shielded room (Fujihira Co.) visited the Lane Cove site for a feasibility study. The chamber will be brought to Australia in pieces and then assembled in its final location. The plans for the site have been signed off, and construction will start in January. In the meantime, the constructors will reinforce the floor underneath the MSR so that it can support its 8.5 tonnes. The MSR foot print will be 3.190 m. wide and 4.090 m deep. This MSR will be capable of hosting two MEG systems. Opening of the lab is tentatively scheduled for early May 2006. Amendment: Delays on the fitout of the buidling facilities has forced us to postpone the opening of the lab until the end of August 2006.
Lane Cove site: main entrance The view from the building Taking measures MEG lab plans
September 2005:
KIT engineers visit the site of the MEG lab to conduct an enviromental noise measurement study for the installation of the MEG. The lab will be located on the 2nd floor at 299 Lane Cove Rd., Macquarie Park, NSW, Australia. The study concluded the location is appropriate for housing the MEG system. It will be a three layered room.
MEG lab site Projected location of MSR in the room Outside the building
