Using our facilities

MagnetoEncephaloGraphic (MEG) scanner

The Centre's £1 million MEG scanner, using optically-pumped magnetometer (OPM) sensor technology, provides a non-invasive way of mapping the magnetic fields created by electrical activity in the brain.

3 Tesla Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanner

The 3 Tesla Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanner, manufactured by Siemens, allows high spatial resolution structural and chemical investigations of the whole body as well as studies of blood flow to the brain.

Scanners and equipment details

• MRI: Siemens 3T (20, 32, 64 channel head coils) and GE 3T Excite HDX 
• MEG: FieldLine 128-sensor HEDscan OPM system
  
• EEG: 96 channel high-density electroencephalography integrated with the 4D MEG system
• ERG: 3Gen Multifocal ERG System
• TMS:
  • MagStim Rapid2 with online tracking using BrainSight system
  • MagStim SUPER Rapid2 (dual power supply unit capable of theta-burst stimulation) with online tracking using BrainSight system

Visual

• MRI:
  • Siemens:

    • Projector: PROPixx DLP LED Projector (VPixx Technologies)

      • 1920x1080 Native resolution (HD)
      • 120 Hz refresh rate (up to 1440Hz possible)
      • 3D capable using a circular polarizer
    • Screen: Custom in-bore acrylic rear projection screen subtending 40x23 degrees of visual angle default (up to 50x30 possible)

Projector: Epson EB-G5900 3LCD projector

• 1024x768 Native resolution (HD)
• 60 Hz refresh rate

• • Screen: Custom in-bore acrylic rear projection screen subtending 40x23 degrees of visual angle default
• MEG:

  • Projector: PROPixx DLP LED Projector (VPixx Technologies)

    • 1920x1080 Native resolution (HD)
    • 120 Hz refresh rate (up to 1440Hz possible)
    • 3D capable using a circular polarizer

  • Screen: Custom suspended 1.5x1.2 m fabric rear projection screen subtending > 65x30 degree visual field in MEG

Auditory

• MRI: MR Confon mkII system driven by Komplete Audio 6 Mk2 sound card
• MEG: Etymotic Research ER30 earphones driven by Komplete Audio 6 Mk2 sound card and Samson Servo 170 - Power Amplifier
• TMS: Komplete Audio 6 Mk2 sound card along with TDT PA4 Programmable Attenuators and Headphone Buffer.

Somatosensory Stimulation

• Electrical stimulation (2 channels): Single pulses or trains, fully electrically isolated
• Pneumatic stimulators (5 channels): Varying pulses intensity and duration
• Vibro-tactile array (4 x 2 channels): Braille cell, all pins individually programmable

Calibration Hardware

• Auditory: B&K equipment for calibration of auditory equipment
• Visual: Colour and gamma correction calibration available
• Timing: Black Box Toolkit - Multimodal. Visual, auditory, somatosensory, Timing anomaly detection to sub ms accuracy. Allows for correction in delays between actual and perceived generation of trigger and subsequent presentation of stimuli. Correction of response time inaccuracies.

Fully supported

• Psychopy

Unsupported

• Psychtoolbox

• Fibre Optic Response pads:
  • USB 5 button response box
    
    • returns a USB keyboard 1,2,3,4, or 6 depending on which button is pressed, and can give a keyboard 5 for each pulse of the scanner. By default this response pad is kept in GE
  • USB 4 x 2 button response box (4 button left hand, 4 button right hand)
    
    • returns a USB keyboard 1,2,3,4 (LH) or 6,7,8,9 (RH) depending on which button is pressed, and can give a keyboard 5 for each pulse of the scanner. By default this response pad is kept in Siemens
  • USB 4 button response box
    
    • returns a USB keyboard 1,2,3 or 4 depending on which button is pressed, and can give a keyboard 5 for each pulse of a scanner (not relevant in MEG). By default this response pad is kept in MEG
• Serial Connection Response pads:
  • Lumina Response pads, each with two buttons. By default this is kept in GE.

• Optical trackball (MRI only)

• Polhemus fast-track headshape digitisation kit
• 3D camera co-registration system

• Analysis Hardware
  • HP workstations in open access suite
  • Multi-node computing cluster
• Analysis Software
  • fMRI, DTI and MRS:
    • FSL (fully supported)
    • SPM 2 and 12 (unsupported) N.B. SPM 2 will be removed in Summer 2021.
    • AFNI (unsupported)
    • In-house tools utilising Python, VTK, C and Matlab
• MEG
  • MNE-python
  • Fieldtrip
  • Brainstorm
• Stimulus delivery and preparation
  • Linux workstations

First-time users of YNIC facilities (and external applicants) must complete the Project Proposal Form (DOC) and send it electronically to rec-submission@ynic.york.ac.uk. This form provides us with the outline of your project to help ensure any specific requirements can be met. In addition preliminary financial arrangements are detailed. To complete the financial section of this form you will need to contact the YNiC administration staff (reception@ynic.york.ac.uk), who will advise on the current charging rates and policy.

Once we receive your project proposal form, you will be allocated a unique Project ID for future reference (project history and centre resources will be allocated and authorised with reference to this ID). You may also be invited to make a project presentation, at which point you will have the opportunity to meet relevant members of the team and discuss your ideas and requirements. Depending on the outcome of these discussions you will be advised on how best to pursue your formal research ethics and governance application. This may include advice on:

• Subject selection and recruitment
• Subject handling requirements
• Experimental design
• Stimulus selection and preparation
• Software implementation
• Choosing analysis techniques for your acquired data
• Realistic project implementation and completion timescales

Research ethics and governance application and next steps

All applicants must complete the Project Proposal Form (DOC) and send it electronically to rec-submission@ynic.york.ac.uk. This form provides us with the outline of your project to help ensure any specific requirements can be met. In addition preliminary financial arrangements are detailed. To complete the financial section of this form you will need to contact the YNiC administration staff (reception@ynic.york.ac.uk), who will advise on the current charging rates and policy.

Once we receive your project proposal form, you will be allocated a unique Project ID for future reference (project history and centre resources will be allocated and authorised with reference to this ID). You will also be invited to make a project presentation, at which point you will have the opportunity to meet relevant members of the team and discuss your ideas and requirements. Depending on the outcome of these discussions you will be advised on how best to pursue your formal research ethics and governance application. This may include advice on:

• Subject selection and recruitment
• Subject handling requirements
• Experimental design
• Stimulus selection and preparation
• Software implementation
• Choosing analysis techniques for your acquired data
• Realistic project implementation and completion timescales

Applicants from Higher Education Institutes other than the University of York may be required to provide additional information on insurance and professional liability cover, especially in cases where these users are utilising their own hardware solutions or add-ons.

Research ethics and governance application and next steps

Users interested in using the facilities at YNiC for clinical purposes should contact the Clinical Co-ordinator (reception@ynic.york.ac.uk).

Please follow this link to find the latest information on applying for Integrated Research Application System (IRAS) approval, which is a requirement for research conducted on participants recruited through the NHS. Users of YNiC who require IRAS approval will be required to obtain this before being allowed to use YNiC's facilities.

When completing a IRAS application, applicants are required to provide SSI (Site Specific Information) about the venues in which patients/participants will be tested and recruited and information about the insurance and liability cover of the site, as well as additional information like CVs and contact details for investigators based at the site.

Users interested in using the facilities at YNiC for commercial purposes should contact the Director (reception@ynic.york.ac.uk).