Resonance Technology, Jnc. has become the leading manufacturer of patient comfort systems for Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). We propose to develop a new generation of video displays, called the """"""""VR- Vision"""""""" providing a virtual reality-like environment, including a wide, adjustable, field of view, high resoltition 3D display and high quality sound system to limit the patient's awareness of the scanning environment. The integration of eye tracking and patient response keypads extends the capabilities of this unit to clinical neurological and neuroscientific research uses. This Phase II continuation proposal will take the prototype configurations developed under Phase I to the next step; product-level integration, packaging and performance. We will also add in important features, initiated under Phase I that respond to signifcant user needs. These include integrated noise cancellation, eye-tracking for precision behavioral studies and the integration of our hardware into a software environment that exploits its features by receiving the behavioral, timing and eye-tracking signals and outputting well-controlled and characterized stimuli.
The high resolution video display will be marketed to clinical centers performing both conventional (structural) MRI and functional imaging studies. The design is compatible with all existing MR systems,and thus has a potential sales volume of several thousand units. Its important commercial applications arise from its ability to improve patient comfort and to enable functional imaging studies in clinical and research environments
