Quantum Technology Offers Improved Planning for Epilepsy Surgery

(Birmingham.ca.uk) A new project to harness quantum technology to enable better planning for patients undergoing epilepsy surgery has been funded by the UK Quantum Technology Hub Sensors and Timing.
The Hub, which is led by the University of Birmingham, has awarded £300,000 to the project via its Partnership Resource Fund (PRF). Researchers at the University of Nottingham and University College London will carry out the research, which aims to improve the accuracy of pre-surgical planning.
The team will combine quantum-enabled wearable technology with new biophysical modelling into a helmet-style device that will enable brain activity to be measured even when a subject moves. By measuring electric discharges during seizures, it is possible to pinpoint the location of the seizure with much greater accuracy. This information can be used to design highly targeted and completely non-invasive surgical planning.
Professor Gareth Barnes, Head of Magnetoencephalography at UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, said: ‘We are very excited to be part of this Quantum Technology Hub funding initiative. These new quantum sensors will considerably add to our understanding of how seizures propagate and could lead to faster, safer and more accurate planning of epilepsy surgery.”
The PRF is a £2million fund intended to foster new science and technology concepts across the entire national quantum sensors and timing landscape, in line with the Hub’s mission to translate state-of-the-art technology into deployable practical devices. The next PRF call will be published on the University of Birmingham website later on this year, and will include further details on eligibility and application. For any queries regarding the PRF, please contact Dr Jo Smart, Programme Manager.