Unveiling a mesmerizing leap in scientific visualization, a remarkable 3D ‘glass brain’ offers a captivating window into the dynamic spectacle of neurons firing in real-time. This groundbreaking presentation begins with the intricate mapping of the brain’s architecture through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The subsequent step involves the user donning a cap adorned with electrodes, strategically positioned to gauge disparities in electric potential, thereby recording the intricate symphony of brain activity. This cascade of neural events is then unveiled on a screen, through a vibrant array of colours, each hue representing the distinct frequencies of electrical energy that course through the intricate neural pathways, providing a visual narrative of the brain’s dynamic processes.
While the Glass Brain refrains from offering a direct window into an individual’s thoughts, it paints a broad picture of cerebral activity. Crafted as a Unity3D brain visualization, this innovative tool showcases both source activity and connectivity within the brain, inferred from high-density electroencephalogram (EEG) data through SIFT and BCILAB, developed at the Swartz Center for Computational Neuroscience, University of California, San Diego, and Syntrogi Labs.
The project was developed as a collaboration with Adam Gazzaley and the Neuroscape Lab at UC San Francisco, with contributions from NVIDIA, StudioBee, and many others.
Mullen T, Kothe C, Chi YM, Ojeda A, Kerth T, Makeig S, Cauwenberghs G, & Jung TP (2013). Real-time modeling and 3D visualization of source dynamics and connectivity using wearable EEG. 35th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Biology and Medicine Society., 2013, 2184-7 PMID: 24110155