Imagine lying in an MRI scanner, your head surrounded by coils, while scientists watch your brain “light up” on a screen. What you see and hear during that time can make all the difference to the data researchers collect.
In a recent presentation, Dr. rer. medic Rik Sjiben from the Brain Imaging Faculty of Medicine, IZKF, RWTH Aachen University, offered a glimpse into how advanced stimulus presentation can transform the way we study the brain. His focus was on the careful design of realistic, functional, and technically robust setups for complex cognitive tasks.
Sjiben highlighted three project that illustrate the possibilities.
Exploring 3D perception
The first project explored how people perceive space – near and far – using 3D visual stimuli. Everyday objects, like coffee cups, were displayed in either peripersonal (near) or extrapersonal (far) space. Instead of building a full virtual reality environment, the team used left and right eye stereo images, creating a sense of depth without the complications of head tracking.
– We didn’t want VR; we wanted 3D stimuli that feels like VR – but are different, Sjiben said, explaining the need to simplify the setup while preserving depth cues.
Using the VisualSystem HD (VSHD) from NordicNeuroLab, researchers could precisely control depth cues and the visual field, allowing them to study spatial perception in a realistic but technically feasible way. The approach demonstrated that it is possible to create immersive 3D experiences in the scanner without introducing motion artifacts or impractical VR setups.
Synchronizing two brains
In the second study, Sjiben pushed the technical limits further by recording brain activity from two participants simultaneously, a method known as hyperscanning. The participants could communicate in real time while lying in separate MRI scanners – even on different floors of the building. Sophisticated synchronization using PsychoPy software, Arduino-triggered signals, and noise-cancelling headsets ensured that tasks were coordinated down to the millisecond.
All communications were recorded and later analyzed to understand how interaction style affects inter-brain synchrony. Interestingly, participants who attempted the most strategic communication performed worse.
– Turns out that just because you’re trying to communicate, doesn’t mean you’re effectively communicating, Sjiben noted, highlighting the subtle complexity of human interaction in these experiments.
Bringing therapy inside the scanner
The third innovative study explored real-time psychotherapy inside the MRI. In collaboration with the psychiatry department, Sjiben’s team investigated whether EMDR and Ego State Therapy could be conducted while capturing live neural data.
– Because the VSHD eliminates distraction and offers a wide field of view, the patient feels immersed in the session, Sjiben explained.
Using the VSHD, patients experienced immersive, distraction-free sessions, while integrated eye cameras monitored compliance with therapy controls. Multiple data streams, including audio, video, and eye-tracking, were securely recorded using OBS Studio. Ethical considerations were carefully addressed,: and noise isolation ensured privacy throughout the session. This setup allowed researchers to observe the brain’s dynamics as therapy unfolded, providing unprecedented insight into the neural mechanisms of treatment.
Bridging innovation and design
Across all three studies, a clear theme emerged: advanced fMRI research relies as much on technical innovation as it does on experimental design. Realistic 3D stimuli, synchronized multi-participant scanning, and immersive therapy setups show that the brain cannot be fully understood through static measurements alone. Sjiben’s work demonstrates how creativity, precision, and practical problem-solving come together to make fMRI a tool not just for imaging, but for exploring cognition and human interaction in real time.
Rik Sjiben’s research reminds us that technology and theory must work hand in hand. Whether studying spatial perception, inter-brain cooperation, or psychotherapy, the infrastructure enabling these experiments is just as important as the questions being asked. With tools like the VSHD, researchers can design experiments that are technically robust, ethically sound, and capable of capturing the richness of human experience – opening new doors for neuroscience research in the real world.
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