Customized optical components for Avotec MRI system by PG&O

Precision Glass & Optics (PG&O; Santa Ana, CA) has developed two thin-film optical components for a high-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) accessory from Avotec (Stuart, FL). The Real Eye Nano is an advanced visual presentation and eye-tracking system constructed entirely of glass and plastic, with a reduced size for operation in confined MRI spaces. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) helps understand how the human brain functions, and a primary target of fMRI research is cognitive disorders associated with increasing age. Optical systems that provide both eye-tracking and visual stimulation are, and will continue to be, a key component in fMRI research.

PG&O developed the dielectric cold mirror and cylindrical prism mirror for the Real Eye Nano, which allows the MRI patient to view a unique visual demonstration concurrently while the patient's eyes are illuminated with near-infrared (980 nm) light supplied by an IR light-emitting diode (LED)/fused fiber cable/fiber bundle. The company contributed expertise in designing and applying the thin-film coating to the large dichroic mirror and in shaping the multi-element lens for this revolutionary fMRI system.

For more information, please visit www.avotecinc.com.