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14 - The Future of Brain Imaging

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 February 2026

Jonas Vibell
Affiliation:
University of Hawaii, Manoa
Thomas Thesen
Affiliation:
Dartmouth College, New Hampshire
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Summary

Chapter 14 allows us a look at the trajectories in brain imaging technology and research while acknowledging the field’s unpredictable evolution. It examines how existing tools are being refined, with functional MRI achieving submillimeter resolution and EEG sampling rates reaching 100,000 Hz, while highlighting the growing influence of private industry through initiatives like Neuralink, Facebook’s Building 8, and Google Brain. The chapter analyzes the scientific value of multimodal imaging approaches that combine complementary techniques such as EEG-fMRI to leverage both high temporal and spatial resolution. It discusses how large-scale collaborative efforts including the Human Connectome Project and Brain Initiative are reshaping our understanding of neural connectivity despite the challenges of modeling the brain’s extraordinary complexity. The emergence of biomarkers receives particular attention, emphasizing how machine learning algorithms are enhancing our ability to detect neurological and psychiatric conditions through brain imaging data. Recent technological innovations are surveyed, including miniaturized MRI scanners, real-time imaging analysis, optically pumped magnetometry, and functional ultrasound imaging, all pointing toward more accessible and sophisticated brain measurement capabilities. The chapter concludes with practical guidance for newcomers to the field and consideration of ethical dimensions, emphasizing that brain imaging technologies should advance human wellbeing rather than enable control or manipulation. Throughout, the chapter maintains that while specific trajectories remain uncertain, the overall direction is toward increasingly precise, accessible, and clinically valuable brain imaging technologies.

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