title: Unleashing the future potential of functional near-infrared spectroscopy in brain sciences.
abstract: The wondrous innovations bound to the introduction of functional near-infrared spectroscopy in cognitive neuroscience are characterized by a multifaceted nature, ranging from technological improvements to sophisticated signal processing methods; the outstanding progress enabled scientists to investigate a variety of hard-to-test clinical populations and to successfully employ optical imaging in fields that were almost unimaginable twenty years ago. Here we illustrate how the emerging use of fNIRS methodologies might represent a drawing power in a variety of challenging experimental and medical contexts; we expect in the near future a wide increase of the use of wireless fNIRS, especially in children and in particular clinical populations, as well as a striking progress of fNIRS-BCI and hybrid BCI systems for neurofeedback and neurorehabilitation. These emerging trends might dramatically foster the future potential of fNIRS in brain sciences, provided that they are properly supported by a significant progress in signal processing and cognitive neuroscience.
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental Psychology, University of Padova, Italy; Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Padova, Italy. Electronic address: simone.cutini@unipd.it.
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cutini
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental Psychology, University of Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Sabrina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brigadoi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D062207:Brain-Computer Interfaces; D004569:Electroencephalography; D006801:Humans; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D019265:Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared; D059015:Wireless Technology
keywords: BCI; Cognitive neuroscience; Functional near-infrared spectroscopy; Wireless; fNIRS