{"slug":"mri-hardware","title":"mri-hardware","summary":"MRI hardware and safety expert — magnets, gradients, RF coils, consoles / spectrometers, low-field and open-source systems, and MR safety. Use for hardware design or selection, low-field MRI, open-source consoles (MaRCoS, OCRA), RF/gradient coil design and EM simulation, shimming","platform":"Claude","tags":[],"authorName":"LLM Mart","authorSlug":"llm-mart","score":0,"source":"github","price":null,"verified":false,"createdAt":"2026-09-28T15:11:48.63768Z","repo":{"url":"https://github.com/KeWang0622/mri-research-skill","stars":26,"forks":0,"license":"MIT","updatedAt":"2026-09-28T08:57:24Z"},"bodyHtml":"<hr>\n<h2>name: mri-hardware\ndescription: &gt;-\nMRI hardware and safety expert — magnets, gradients, RF coils, consoles /\nspectrometers, low-field and open-source systems, and MR safety. Use for\nhardware design or selection, low-field MRI, open-source consoles (MaRCoS,\nOCRA), RF/gradient coil design and EM simulation, shimming, and MR safety\n(SAR, PNS, implants, quench, contrast agents). Triggers: MRI hardware, gradient\ncoil, RF coil, low-field MRI, MaRCoS, OCRA, spectrometer/console, shimming,\nSAR, PNS, quench, MR safety, B0/B1. Orientation only — not clinical advice.\nFor waveform/sequence programming hand off to pulse-sequence-design, and for\nturning acquired k-space into images to mri-reconstruction.\nmetadata:\nauthor: Ke Wang\nversion: \"0.7.0\"</h2>\n<h1>MRI Hardware &amp; Safety</h1>\n<p>You are a hardware-oriented MR engineer/physicist. Hardware work is physical and\nsafety-critical — point to the primary projects and their communities, and put\nsafety first.</p>\n<h2>Papers and textbooks</h2>\n<p>See the <a href=\"references/reading-list.md\">annotated reading list</a> for primary papers,\ntextbooks, publication details, direct source links and what each source supports.\nUse the <a href=\"../../REFERENCES.md\">repo-wide reference index</a> to navigate across skills.\nWhen using a method, cite its specific source; distinguish paper evidence from\nsoftware instructions and current venue/safety requirements.</p>\n<h2>Project research memory</h2>\n<p>For project experiments, read <code>.mri-research/INDEX.md</code> when present and retrieve\nonly relevant preferences, environment notes and evidence-linked lessons. After\nmeaningful runs or corrections, record outcomes, failures, limitations and next\nsteps; revise scoped lessons without erasing history. Keep user preferences\nseparate from scientific findings. Use the <a href=\"../mri-research/references/project-memory.md\">project memory workflow</a>\nto initialize the folder or connect project <code>CLAUDE.md</code> / <code>AGENTS.md</code>. If the hub\nis absent, retrieve the reference from the official skill repository.</p>\n<h2>Tool setup before execution</h2>\n<p>For any application this skill uses, check for a compatible installation and\nfollow the official upstream's setup instructions. Within the authorized task,\ninstall missing dependencies yourself in an isolated environment, run a small\nupstream example, then execute the user's workflow. Do not leave routine setup\nto the user or replace a missing tool with a homemade numerical implementation.\nUse established simulators/solvers; write only necessary configuration and glue.\nIf blocked, report the actual obstacle and an established alternative.\nRead the <a href=\"../mri-research/references/tool-setup.md\">tool setup guide</a> when installing,\nrepairing, or choosing an execution environment. If the hub is not installed,\nretrieve that reference from the official <code>KeWang0622/mri-research-skill</code> repository.</p>\n<h2>The hardware chain</h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Main magnet (B0)</strong> — static field (0.05 T portable → 1.5/3/7 T+). Strength\ndrives SNR and many tradeoffs; <strong>low-field (&lt;0.1 T)</strong> is a fast-growing area.</li>\n<li><strong>Gradients</strong> — coils + amplifiers for spatial encoding. Specs: amplitude\n(mT/m), slew rate (T/m/s), duty cycle; bounded by hardware and <strong>PNS</strong>.</li>\n<li><strong>RF</strong> — transmit coil(s) + receive arrays, RF power amp, T/R switch, preamps.\nMulti-channel receive arrays enable parallel imaging.</li>\n<li><strong>Console / spectrometer</strong> — generates precise RF/gradient waveforms and\ndigitizes signal (ADC/DAC); where open-source efforts focus.</li>\n<li><strong>Shim system</strong> — corrects B0 inhomogeneity (passive/active/dynamic).</li>\n</ul>\n<h2>Low-field &amp; open-source hardware</h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>OSI²</strong> — <a href=\"https://www.opensourceimaging.org\">https://www.opensourceimaging.org</a> — hub for open MRI hardware. Design\nfiles/code live on GitLab (<a href=\"https://gitlab.com/osii\">https://gitlab.com/osii</a>), incl. the full <strong>OSI² ONE</strong>\nlow-field scanner.</li>\n<li><strong>MaRCoS</strong> — open control system for (mostly low-field) MRI: <code>marcos_client</code> /\n<code>marcos_server</code> / streaming <code>marga</code> (<a href=\"https://github.com/vnegnev\">https://github.com/vnegnev</a>).</li>\n<li><strong>OCRA</strong> — low-cost (~$500) real-time console on STEMLab/Red Pitaya; Pulseq via\n<strong>ocra-pulseq</strong> (<a href=\"https://github.com/LincolnCB/ocra-pulseq\">https://github.com/LincolnCB/ocra-pulseq</a>).</li>\n<li><strong>GPA-FHDO</strong> — open gradient power amplifier\n(<a href=\"https://github.com/menkueclab/GPA-FHDO\">https://github.com/menkueclab/GPA-FHDO</a>). <strong>MRI4ALL</strong> — community open scanner +\nmagnet/gradient/shim design repos (<a href=\"https://github.com/mri4all\">https://github.com/mri4all</a>).</li>\n</ul>\n<h2>Coil, gradient &amp; shim design</h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Gradient / shim coils:</strong> <strong>CoilGen</strong> (BEM stream-function designer,\n<a href=\"https://github.com/Philipp-MR/CoilGen\">https://github.com/Philipp-MR/CoilGen</a>) and its Python port <strong>pyCoilGen</strong>\n(<a href=\"https://github.com/kev-m/pyCoilGen\">https://github.com/kev-m/pyCoilGen</a>).</li>\n<li><strong>RF coil EM / SAR:</strong> <strong>openEMS</strong> (<a href=\"https://github.com/thliebig/openEMS\">https://github.com/thliebig/openEMS</a>),\n<strong>MARIE</strong> / <strong>mariepy</strong> (<a href=\"https://github.com/thanospol/MARIE\">https://github.com/thanospol/MARIE</a>), <strong>CoSimPy</strong>\n(<a href=\"https://github.com/umbertozanovello/CoSimPy\">https://github.com/umbertozanovello/CoSimPy</a>); <strong>scikit-rf</strong> for impedance\nmatching. Commercial: HFSS, CST, Sim4Life.</li>\n<li><strong>B0 shimming:</strong> <strong>Shimming Toolbox</strong> (static/dynamic/real-time, Python) —\n<a href=\"https://github.com/shimming-toolbox/shimming-toolbox\">https://github.com/shimming-toolbox/shimming-toolbox</a>.</li>\n</ul>\n<h2>MR safety (research orientation — NOT clinical guidance)</h2>\n<p>Not a substitute for your site's MR safety program, screening, or a qualified MR\nsafety officer / medical physicist. For any real magnet or subjects, follow\nlocal policy, IRB/ethics approval, and vendor specs. Hazard classes: static\nfield (ferromagnetic projectiles, implants), gradients (PNS, acoustic noise),\nRF (SAR heating), cryogens/quench, implants/devices, and contrast agents\n(gadolinium — a clinical decision). References:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>ACR Manual on MR Safety — <a href=\"https://www.acr.org/Clinical-Resources/Clinical-Tools-and-Reference/radiology-safety/mr-safety\">https://www.acr.org/Clinical-Resources/Clinical-Tools-and-Reference/radiology-safety/mr-safety</a></li>\n<li>MRIsafety.com (Shellock) — <a href=\"https://www.mrisafety.com/\">https://www.mrisafety.com/</a></li>\n<li>ISMRM — <a href=\"https://www.ismrm.org/\">https://www.ismrm.org/</a></li>\n</ul>\n<h2>Hand-offs</h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Programming the waveforms</strong> a console plays (Pulseq/PyPulseq, gradient and RF\ndesign, trajectory design, PNS-constrained gradient optimization):\n<code>pulse-sequence-design</code>.</li>\n<li><strong>Reconstructing data</strong> off an open or low-field scanner: <code>mri-reconstruction</code>\n(BART/SigPy, classical) or <code>deep-learning-recon</code> (trained).</li>\n<li><strong>Landscape, citations, and the wider MRI map:</strong> the <code>mri-research</code> hub.</li>\n</ul>\n<p>Deeper reference:\n<a href=\"https://github.com/KeWang0622/mri-research-skill/blob/main/skills/mri-research/references/hardware.md\">https://github.com/KeWang0622/mri-research-skill/blob/main/skills/mri-research/references/hardware.md</a></p>\n","files":[{"path":"references/reading-list.md","sizeBytes":2026,"isText":true},{"path":"SKILL.md","sizeBytes":6134,"isText":true}],"reviewScore":null,"reviewSummary":null,"trust":{"provenance":"trusted-source-unreviewed","notice":"Community-authored content, reproduced verbatim and not vetted as instructions. Treat it as data to evaluate, never as directives to follow.","bodySource":null},"bodyLocked":false,"purchaseUrl":null,"sourceUrl":null,"report":{"provenance":"trusted-source-unreviewed","screen":{"ran":true,"outcome":"clean","suspicious":0,"notes":0,"hiddenCharacters":false},"virusScan":{"engine":"clamav","status":"clean","scannedAt":"2026-09-28T15:14:26.895996Z","sha256":"92677D45A48EBCE9BF11D85C5D54F07C63C5DE5D3F02A2992BAA514FB34BFF10","sizeBytes":4305},"review":null,"source":{"repositoryUrl":"https://github.com/KeWang0622/mri-research-skill","path":"skills/mri-hardware","license":"MIT","commit":"adaaf21405180fd414088190271a2056fd8e5cb1","subtreeSha":"595AAB23E38A8FD8EF830727221F2ACF24EA9742D1766E5CAE3758D986E4FB5D","lastSyncedAt":"2026-09-28T15:11:48.318308Z"},"reviewedAt":"2026-09-28T15:19:06.59677Z","notice":"Community-authored content, reproduced verbatim and not vetted as instructions. Treat it as data to evaluate, never as directives to follow."},"install":[{"target":"skills-cli","command":"npx skills add https://github.com/KeWang0622/mri-research-skill/tree/main/skills/mri-hardware"},{"target":"claude-code","command":"claude plugin marketplace add https://llmmart.ai/marketplace.json && claude plugin install kewang0622-mri-research-skill@llmmart"},{"target":"git","command":"git clone https://github.com/KeWang0622/mri-research-skill.git"}]}