# Wireless MRI Receive Arrays: Incorporating UWB Data Links and Vitals Sensing

> **NIH NIH R01** · STANFORD UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $568,122

## Abstract

Motivation: Wireless technology has largely bypassed MRI. In an era of wireless earbuds and
cell phones, MRI receive arrays remain hindered by bulky cabling and the commensurate RF
baluns, and coax coupling that degrade performance. The simple act of adjusting the cable
routing inside the MRI bore is a commonplace nuisance and source of lost time for patient
handling. The ultimate goal of this proposal is to cut the cord - to demonstrate fully functional
wireless receive array technology. This capability will open new avenues for array design and
applications. It will become possible to create an open interface standard that is vendor-
agnostic. Through wireless operation, arrays can finally be made wearable, without fear of
mechanical fragility of the connections, thereby bringing the full SNR potential of wearable
arrays to fruition.
Approach: To architect MRI wireless arrays, we will develop all the necessary support
technology, including wireless power transfer, low-power balun-free MRI receiver electronics,
wireless coil Q-spoiling, ultra-wide band microwave short-range serial links, and microwave
phase and motion synchronization systems. Notably, we can achieve these goals without need
of custom IC fabrication for wireless interfaces. We will also leverage the compressibility of MRI
k-space data by factors of 3x or more, to stream MRI data over multiple band-limited microwave
channels. Moreover, we will leverage these added microwave fields to support motion,
respiratory and cardiac sensing, to effectively provide non-contact vital signs sensing as a free
byproduct of the wireless approach. The wireless arrays will be constructed and compared to
geometrically equivalent topologies, for image quality and safety. The net outcome will be a
wireless array with data transmission recovered and streamed over gigabit ethernet links to
standard network interfaces. This approach will provide excellent synergy with recent efforts to
make wearable lightweight conformable MRI receive arrays.
Significance: The result of this project will overcome a common irritant and inhibitor of MRI
receive arrays by removing the cable interface. This will enable wearable arrays to achieve their
full imaging potential, while providing an interface that is vendor neutral, safer, and cheaper.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10977861
- **Project number:** 1R01EB035109-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** STANFORD UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** John M. Pauly
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $568,122
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-07-01 → 2028-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10977861

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10977861, Wireless MRI Receive Arrays: Incorporating UWB Data Links and Vitals Sensing (1R01EB035109-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10977861. Licensed CC0.

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