Spread spectrum time-resolved diffuse optical measurement system for enhanced sensitivity in detecting human brain activity

Abstract

© The Authors. Published by SPIE under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. Distribution or reproduction of this work in whole or in part requires full attribution of the original publication, including its DOI. Diffuse optical spectroscopy (DOS) and imaging methods have been widely applied to noninvasive detection of brain activity. We have designed and implemented a low cost, portable, real-time one-channel time-resolved DOS system for neuroscience studies. Phantom experiments were carried out to test the performance of the system. We further conducted preliminary human experiments and demonstrated that enhanced sensitivity in detecting neural activity in the cortex could be achieved by the use of late arriving photons.