Neuroscience development with portable neuroimaging

[Hans de Vries]

How much would development of neuroscience be sped up if a portable neuroimaging technique as good as MRI/fMRI but helmet sized and costing 10-25% the price of an MRI machine became available?

[iNow]

I suppose that depends on how much neuroscience is being held back by lack of access / funding for currently available equipment. 

[Hans de Vries]

2 hours ago, iNow said:

I suppose that depends on how much neuroscience is being held back by lack of access / funding for currently available equipment. 

Apparently quite a bit I guess. 

An MRI machine costs a few mln $ weights a ton and uses as much power as several households. One also needs to be completely motionless inside.

If we want to scan 1000s of people, that's certainly an issue. 

[iNow]

And how many actual neuroscience practitioners lack access to those machines as a result of this cost? Don’t most have associations with institutions and hospitals that DO have access?