Sensor localization in a magnetoencephalography (MEG) system

A system to determine a location of a magnetic field sensor, the system comprising:

• a Magnetoencephalography (MEG) helmet, the magnetic field sensor, a coil, and a controller;
• the MEG helmet configured to mount the magnetic field sensor in a sensor slot of the MEG helmet, wherein the sensor slot fixes an orientation of the magnetic field sensor and restricts the magnetic field sensor to a single axis of motion;
• the magnetic field sensor configured to move through the sensor slot along the single axis of motion to be proximate to or in contact with a surface of a target;
• the controller configured to supply current to the coil, wherein the coil is attached to the MEG helmet at a known location;
• the coil configured to generate a coil magnetic field, wherein a strength of the coil magnetic field varies along the single axis of motion of the magnetic field sensor;
• the magnetic field sensor further configured to measure the strength of the coil magnetic field;
• and
• the controller further configured to determine the location of the magnetic field sensor based on inputs comprising the single axis of motion of the magnetic field sensor, the known location of the coil, and the strength of the coil magnetic field measured by the magnetic field sensor.

A system to determine locations of magnetic field sensors, the system comprising:

• a Magnetoencephalography (MEG) helmet, the magnetic field sensors, coils, and a controller;
• the MEG helmet configured to mount the magnetic field sensors in sensor slots of the MEG helmet, wherein the sensor slots fix orientations of the magnetic field sensors and restrict the magnetic field sensors to single axes of motion;
• the magnetic field sensors configured to move through their respective sensor slots along their respective single axes of motion to be proximate to or in contact with a surface of a target;
• the controller configured to supply current to the coils, wherein the coils are attached to the MEG helmet at known locations;
• the coils configured to generate coil magnetic fields, wherein strengths of the coil magnetic fields vary along the single axes of motion of the magnetic field sensors;
• the magnetic field sensors further configured to measure the strengths of the coil magnetic fields;
• and
• the controller further configured to determine the locations of the magnetic field sensors based on inputs comprising the single axes of motion of the magnetic field sensors, the known locations of the coils, and the strengths of the coil magnetic fields measured by the magnetic field sensors.