A magnetometer includes a vapor cell having at least one wall, a chamber defined by the at least one wall, and alkali metal atoms disposed in the chamber to produce an alkali metal vapor in the chamber, wherein the at least one wall includes an oxide-containing interior surface; and an anti-relaxation coating disposed on the oxide-containing interior surface of the at least one wall of the vapor cell, wherein the anti-relaxation coating is a reaction product of the oxide-containing interior surface of the at least one wall with at least one mono- or dichlorosilane compound.

This document discusses, among other things, systems and methods for managing pain of a subject. A system includes one or more physiological sensors configured to sense a physiological signal indicative of patient brain activity. The physiological signals may include an electroencephalography signal, a magnetoencephalography signal, or a brain-evoked potential. The system may extract from the brain activity signal one or more signal metrics indicative of strength or pattern of brain electromagnetic activity associated with pain, and generate a pain score using the one or more signal metrics. The pain score can be output to a patient or a process. The system may select an electrode configuration for pain-relief electrostimulation based on the pain score, and deliver a closed-loop pain therapy according to the selected electrode configuration.

An information processing device includes a first display control unit, and a second display control unit. The first display control unit is configured to display, in a display device, a first intensity distribution which is at least per unit time and which is regarding a biosignal coming from a particular source. The second display control unit configured to display, side-by-side in the display device, a first image which has a shape of the source and on which a second intensity distribution of the biosignal corresponding to time corresponding to a point or an area specified in the first intensity distribution is superimposed, and second images which have the shape of the source and on which second intensity distributions of the biosignal before and after the time are superimposed.

The invention provides for a medical instrument (100, 400, 500, 600) comprising an activity measurement system (106) configured for measuring brain activity data (138) from a subject (102). The medical instrument further comprises a stimulus presentation system (108) configured for providing sensory stimulus to the subject. The medical instrument further comprises a memory (130) for storing machine executable instructions (132) and for storing a stimulus reinforcer database (134). The stimulus reinforcer database comprises entries. Each entry comprises commands configured for controlling the stimulus presentation system to provide the sensory stimulus to the subject. The medical instrument further comprises a processor (120) for controlling the medical instrument. Execution of the machine executable instructions causes the processor to: control (200) the stimulus presentation system with a set of entries (136) selected from the stimulus reinforcer database to repeatedly provide sensory stimulus to the subject; control (202) the activity measurement system for performing the measurement of the brain activity data during each sensor stimulus; select (204) a chosen entry (140) from the set of entries using the brain activity data; and store (206) the chosen entry in the memory.

A calibration system for a magnetometer having an unknown gain is disclosed. A calibration magnetic field is generated at a calibration frequency of a known amplitude at the magnetometer. A measurement of the calibrating magnetic field is reported by the magnetometer. A ratio of an amplitude of the calibration magnetic field measurement reported by the magnetometer and the known amplitude of the calibrating magnetic field at the magnetometer is computed. The unknown gain of the magnetometer is determined at least partially based on computed ratio.

A calibration system for a magnetometer having an unknown gain is disclosed. A calibration magnetic field is generated at a calibration frequency of a known amplitude at the magnetometer. A measurement of the calibrating magnetic field is reported by the magnetometer. A ratio of an amplitude of the calibration magnetic field measurement reported by the magnetometer and the known amplitude of the calibrating magnetic field at the magnetometer is computed. The unknown gain of the magnetometer is determined at least partially based on computed ratio.

A bioelectrical signal measuring apparatus includes a mucosa contact electrode brought into contact with a nasal cavity mucosa or an oral cavity mucosa to apply a negative pressure and to measure a bioelectrical signal, an insertion tube, having one end supporting the mucosa contact electrode, inserted into a nasal cavity and bent, and a lead wire, connected to the mucosa contact electrode and connected to an amplifier disposed outside, extending in the insertion tube.

Apparatus for applying Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) to a patient, the apparatus including a head mount for disposition on the head of a patient; and a plurality of magnet assemblies for releasable mounting on the head mount, wherein each of the magnet assemblies includes a magnet for selectively providing a rapidly changing magnetic field capable of inducing weak electric currents in the brain of a patient so as to modify the natural electrical activity of the brain of the patient; wherein the number of magnet assemblies mounted on the head mount, their individual positioning on the head mount, and their selective provision of a rapidly changing magnetic field is selected so as to allow the spatial, strength and temporal characteristics of the magnetic field to be custom tailored for each patient, whereby to provide patient-specific TMS therapy, to assist in diagnosis or to map out brain function in neuroscience research.

Disclosed is an implantable system that comprises a magnetoelectric (ME) antenna, a radio frequency rectifier, and a transmitter. The ME antenna may be characterized by a resonance frequency that changes according to an ambient magnetic field strength. The radio frequency rectifier may be configured to convert radio frequency energy, received by the ME antenna, into a direct current voltage, and to direct the direct current voltage to a storage capacitor. The transmitter may be configured to apply a transmission signal to the ME antenna. A transceiver may communicate with one or more of the implantable systems, to provide radio frequency energy to the implantable devices for energy harvesting, and to receive transmitted information from the implantable systems. The implantable system may be disposed within a brain to detect neuronal activity, by detecting small magnetic fields generated by such neuronal activity.

The present invention provides methods for evaluating the effects of transcranial neurostimulation, including techniques for sham stimulation to provide effective subject and/or operator blinding.