The strong magnetic field of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and the supine position of participants in fMRI scanners severely limit how participants can interact during fMRI experiments. This paper explores the use of air properties to design interaction-device systems that allow various interaction styles inside a fMRI scanner. Airflow and air pressure are explored to design and develop the interaction system. A series of air-based devices are introduced and discussed to demonstrate the feasibility of an air-based approach. This includes soft tactile and conventional controls (e.g., button, slider, joystick, pedal). To achieve fMRI-compatibility, all parts used inside the scanner are built from non-ferromagnetic, off-the-shelf plastic, and/or 3D printed materials. The fMRI compatibility was evaluated on a 3.0 Tesla fMRI scanner. We conclude with example applications and thoughts on future avenues of research.

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Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), a clinical entity of chronic fatigue, has been associated with a decrease in regional gray matter volume (rGMV). In this study targeting a large number of healthy middle-aged individuals without CFS, the relationship between fatigue perception and rGMV was investigated. Considering that the work setting is an environmental factor that influences fatigue perception among healthy individuals, the differences between desk workers and non-desk workers were investigated. Chalder Fatigue Questionnaire (CFQ) scores were used for perceptional evaluation of fatigue, and rGMV of 110 brain regions was adapted with Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM) 8 on 1.5 T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) results for the volumetric calculation of gray matter. The CFQ scores were negatively correlated with the right supplementary motor area (SMC) and positively correlated with the right superior parietal lobule (SPL) and left basal forebrain in all participants (n = 1,618). In desk workers and non-desk workers, the CFQ scores correlated with different regions and yielded different mechanisms of fatigue perception in the brain. Identifying the gray matter regions correlated with fatigue perception in healthy individuals may help understand the early stage of fatigue progression and establish future preventive measures.