12
The number of watts of power used by the brain.
of the body’s total energy is used by the
brain, even though it is only 3 percent of
your body weight.
17 percent
PEOPLE
MRI Scanners
Magnetic resonance imaging, other wise known as MRI, uses powerful
electromagnets to create a rotating magnetic field, from which data
is then recorded and processed to create high-quality images. These
images are used to visualize the internal structure of the body without
the need for surgery. Today they are essential tools for detecting and
diagnosing a wide variety of illnesses. Raymond Damadian performed
the first human MRI scan in 1977. How does present day state of the art
technology compare to the techniques used back then?—James Stanier
LIFE
The lab environment is similar to
“Starbucks”: instead of sticking to one
corner, people can move from one cubicle to another. This setup encourages
teamwork and collaboration between
researchers. People can take a break
by resting on the couch, talk and relax
in the lounge, or perhaps have a cup of
coffee while enjoying the scenery from
the upper floors.
In terms of social activity, life at
HPLS was full of fun. After lunch, it is
common to find a group of excited people laughing, and sometimes screaming, around the foosball table in the
break room. It was never difficult to
bond with colleagues as the lab makes
it a point to organize parties for major
holidays and festivals.
Overall, this internship has greatly
widened my horizons, enriched my experience, and been incredibly beneficial
to my future professional career.
—Zhao Guopeng
Photograph by Liz West
YEAR
1977
2011
Machine name
Indomitable
Vantage Titan 3T
Built by
Raymond Damadian Toshiba
Magnetic field strength
0.6 Tesla
3 Tesla
Scan time
4h 45m
< 1sec
Scan type
Static
Moving table
Bore diameter
14.0 inches
27. 9 inches
Location
Smithsonian
Institution
Hospitals
worldwide
Biography
Biography Zhao Guopeng is a final-year Ph. D. student at
Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, supervised
by Associate Professor Miao Chun Yan.
