BRAIN Initiative: Brain Behavior Quantification and Synchronization- Next Generation Sensor Technology Development (U01 Clinical Trial Optional)
Funding Agency:
- National Institutes of Health
Development of Next Generation Sensor Technologies and Bioelectronic Devices
This program capitalizes on the development of new sensor technologies that will allow synchronization with brain recordings that will allow the generation of new models of human or animal behavior. Key aspects of sensor development include low or zero battery usage, miniaturization, and wireless configurations. For example, at nano-scale, harnessing quantum physics design principles has brought on new kinds of transistors in which fundamental limitations of their operating characteristics are now overcome and enable smaller designs. The delivery of related nanosensors into the cellular milieu has also opened up possibilities for sensing in the cellular environment with extremely low power consumption. With the development of next generation micro-and nano-scale fabrication coupled with high-performance computing, the brain research community is ripe to develop next generation sensor designs.
Research Objectives
Key Features for the Development of Sensors and Bioelectronics to support the BBQS research community
What are the desired features of the next-generation of sensors and bioelectronics? Sensors and bioelectronic designs should include but not be limited to electrochemical, micromechanical, optical, fiber-optic, electromagnetic, radiation, temperature, inertial, acoustic and ultrasound modalities. They may also be remote in overall design, for example with LiDAR or microwave sensing to measure position or movement. Oxygen or other gas sensors are another type of sensor to be included for monitoring of physiologic activity. Sensors need to perform with minimal or zero energy consumption, preferably with energy harvesting. Sensors need to be next-generation with demonstration of improved performance over other previous and similar designs; the demonstration of novelty will be dependent on the particular type of sensor proposed. Justification or rationale for the proposed design will need to show that sensor performance would exhibit high reliability and repeatability in output, to ensure the most accurate measurements. Sensors would also need to collect data in real-time, and their performance needs to be maintained over long periods, i.e. for 48 hours or longer. Combinations of multiple sensor modalities are highly encouraged to promote compact designs. There are no limitations on materials to be used in fabrication.
How will sensor data be integrated into the BRAIN Behavior Quantification and Synchronization research? In the era of micro-electromechanical systems (MEMs) and nanotechnology, and with the goals of the BBQS Program in mind, researchers need to include several features. Next generation sensing technology needs to include the acquisition of data with the highest spatial and temporal resolution possible. Sensor data may come from within or the edge, (that is, close to where the data originates) keeping in mind the collection of only meaningful data, to minimize data storage and compute time.
Sensor data in this NOFO will need to be combined with other data streams including neural recordings, either from surface or intracranial brain recordings. Last, in the context of invasive sensing, biocompatibility and or low toxicity effects are key issues that need to be addressed.
The "BRAIN 2025: A Scientific Vision" report enumerated several core principles, including that "new methods should be critically tested through iterative interaction between tool?makers and experimentalists. After validation, mechanisms must be developed to make new tools available to all." As such, this NOFO will foster close interaction between engineers and behavioral neuroscientists, computational and data scientists in a research consortium. The BBQS Consortium will promote rigorous sensor technology design, testing, validation, and dissemination and aid in quantification and synchronization of data to improve our understanding of behavior.
Research Scope
The aims of the NOFO are to develop novel sensor technologies and/ or bioelectronic devices that will enrich existing sensor or other data streams to improve our understanding of human and organismal behavior. Applicants to this NOFO should propose technologies or devices with superior performance and reliability to achieve real-time data acquisition of physiologic, physical, chemical, or electrical data. The proposed projects should demonstrate the potential to achieve as many of the following goals as possible. Applicants must address goals 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6:
GOALS (Required 1-6):
1. Next-generation and compactness in design, with the expectation that this will contribute to very low or zero power consumption. Proposed sensors/devices must not consume more power than current sensors/devices.
2. High reliability and repeatability in performance and accuracy of measurement beyond what has been previously demonstrated.
3. Sensor design with stability in battery power, and long-term performance greater than 48h, to be able to capture naturalistic behavior in real time from human or animal subjects.
4. Collection of data in real time.
5. Biocompatibility should be high and toxic effects of sensors (either noninvasive or invasive) to cells, tissues, and organisms are quantitatively low.
6. Demonstration of synchronization of the sensor(s) data with brain recordings, including surface or intracranial recordings.
7. Intracranial recordings to be included wherever possible within the research team.
8. Energy harvesting capability.
9. Combinations of multiple sensors or bioelectronics into a single compact design.
10. Devices that are easily produced and could be widely disseminated in the engineering and scientific community.
11. Development of computational models of behavior using all data, including sensor data.
Application budgets are not limited but need to reflect the actual needs of the proposed project.
June 13, 2025
Yvonne Bennett, Ph.D.
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Telephone: 301-222-7094
Email: yvonne.bennett@nih.gov