fNIRS (short for Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy) is a non-invasive method of recording brain activity. It involves wearing a stretchy cap with a number of lights and light sensors over the head. These sensors are able to detect blood flow in the brain. Each sensor is connected to a wire, which then connects to a computer to display and record the brain’s activity whilst completing a task. Tiny to Tots have used fNIRS to investigate children’s brain activity whilst they play with dolls. 

EEG (short for electroencephalogram) is a non-intrusive method of measuring and recording brain activity. It involves wearing a stretchy cap with electrodes in them and having some gel put on these electrodes to help them work better. These electrodes detect the electrical activity in the brain, which reflects the brain's activity. Each electrode is connected to a wire, which then connects to a computer that records the brain's electrical activity during a task. Currently, HIE connect is using EEG to compare the brain development of healthy babies and babies with HIE.

Eye-tracking technology is used to measure looking behaviour. This is done using a camera attached to a computer screen, or what the participant is looking at. The eye-tracker emits infrared light that reflects off the corneas, which in turn is detected by the camera. 

Currently, Tiny to Tots are using eye-tracking to investigate the development of attention biases to emotion faces over the first two years of life.  Additionally, the Memory & Emotion study uses eye-tracking to monitor the strategies used when remembering information in primary school aged children.

fMRI (short for Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging) is a technique that measures blood flow to see what brain areas are active. It involves lying in an fMRI scanner, sometimes while doing a task, other times just doing nothing. The fMRI scanner detects the differences in magnetic properties between oxygenated and deoxygenated blood. This tells us what brain areas are more active because these areas require more oxygen. The fMRI scanners are based in CUBRIC.  Currently, Curious Brain are using fMRI to investigate the influence curiosity has on learning.