3-D printed tools for surgeries are not an unusual thing anymore. However, have a look at this 3-D printed mask with the aim to replace brain scanners. This project is a collaboration between the University of Nottingham and University College London.

To start with, the convenient aspect about this 3-D printed mask is, that patients can wear it and walk around while the mask conducts a brain scan. In result, this is good for the use on children, who feel uncomfortable with staying in conventional scanners. The devices mentioned at last, are large and one-size-fits-all. The difference with this mask is, that it can move its position and therefore match everyone’s head.

Currently being used for patients with epilepsy to identify areas in the brain with abnormal activity, researchers hope to soon use the 3-D printed mask to scan other brain disorders, such as schizophrenia.