Samu Taulu develops next-generation brain imaging methods

What do you study? 

I study brain activity using electromagnetic fields. Brain activity is based on weak electrical currents in brain tissue. The resulting magnetic fields and electric potentials can be measured, allowing us to track what is happening in different parts of the brain. 

I develop measurement and analysis methods that provide brain researchers and neurologists with reliable information from the brain’s electromagnetic fields. I also design the geometry and sensor placement of brain-measurement devices to capture the most relevant signals efficiently. In addition, I develop computational methods to remove interference and correct distortions in the data. 

One of my key research areas has been measuring the brain activity of young children using magnetoencephalography (MEG). Children move during measurements, and as recently as a couple of decades ago, MEG measurements with awake young children were considered almost impossible. At the University of Washington, we developed an MEG research programme for young children that combined novel measurement set-ups with computational and analytical methods. The measurements became more efficient, and the effects of the child’s movements could be corrected in the results. Today, the method we developed is openly available. 

Where and how can your research make a difference? 

My research builds understanding of normal brain activity and development. In turn, this will enable neurological diseases and disorders to be studied and understood in greater detail in the future. 

MEG measurements can be used, for example, to localise the origin of epileptic seizures. This helps neurologists and surgeons when planning surgical treatment. MEG is also used in research on Parkinson’s disease. It may also help us understand the mechanisms underlying conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and autism. 

What is particularly exciting in your field right now? 

Optically pumped magnetometers, or OPM sensors, are especially exciting at the moment. They could make MEG measurements lighter, more flexible and better suited to measurements during movement. 

Traditional MEG measurements are conducted in a magnetically shielded room using heavy equipment. New sensors may make it possible to conduct measurements in more natural settings in the future, for instance during social interaction. This could improve how naturally measurements can be carried out and the precision with which brain activity can be localised.  

This is especially important when studying children.  So far, it has been very challenging to reliably study the continuously changing brain networks in young children. New technologies may eventually allow us to study how children’s brains function as a whole in natural situations. 

You studied at Helsinki University of Technology. How does it feel to return to Otaniemi? 

I was a committed physicist when I began working as a summer trainee at the Low Temperature Laboratory in the late 1990s. There I encountered MEG technology, and brain research seemed a natural opportunity to apply physics more broadly. I went on to work for a company that manufactures MEG instruments before leaving for the University of Washington for almost 12 years. 

At Aalto University, I look forward to collaborating with different research groups in areas such as neurostimulation, biophysics and ultrasound research. Aalto is an especially good place to return to because, in neuroscience and related technologies, it is one of the best places in the world to conduct research. The university has strong resources and world-class expertise. 

Who? 

• Samu Taulu joined Aalto University’s Department of Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering as associate professor of neurostimulation and neuroimaging in August 2026. 
• From 2014–2026, Taulu was associate professor of physics at the University of Washington and director of the I-LABS MEG Brain Imaging Center. 

Samu Taulu will give a public talk on 28 October as part of Aalto University’s traditional Installation talks event. Details of the event will be updated on this page. The talks can be attended in person or watched as recordings.