Scientists from UCL and Birkbeck Toddler and Baby Lab have developed a new wearable brain scanner for babies that uses harmless red light to map brain activity. This non-invasive technology can monitor brain function by measuring blood flow, allowing researchers to see how different parts of the brain are activated during various stimuli. The scanner has shown that even very young babies, as young as five months, exhibit signs of emotional intelligence, with increased brain activity in social situations compared to when interacting with toys. This technology, which can be used on babies as young as one month old, holds potential for diagnosing and monitoring neurodiverse conditions such as ADHD and autism, though it won’t solve every parenting challenge, like getting a baby to sleep through the night.
https://www.itv.com/news/2024-09-11/wearable-baby-brain-scanner-finds-early-emotional-intelligence