What is NEX Technology and why should you care?

Medical imaging has come a long way since the first X-ray was taken in 1895. But while image quality and digital capabilities have improved, one thing has remained remarkably consistent: the technology used to generate the X-ray beam itself.

That is - until now.‍

NEX Technology is transforming how we think about X-ray imaging, making it faster, smaller, and smarter. But what exactly is NEX Technology, and why is it such a breakthrough?

Understanding the Basics: What are Carbon Nanotubes?

Let’s start with the building blocks.

‍Carbon nanotubes (CNT) are tiny cylindrical structures made entirely of carbon atoms, arranged in a hexagonal pattern—imagine a sheet of chicken wire rolled into a tube, but 50,000 times thinner than a human hair. Despite their size, they are incredibly strong and have unique electrical properties.

Carbon nanotubes are considered one of the most exciting discoveries in nanotechnology. Because of their conductivity, strength, and responsiveness to electric fields, they’ve found use in everything from electronics to advanced materials—and now, in X-ray machines. Micro-X is the first to commercialise CNT X-ray for healthcare. We call our world-leading innovation NEX Technology.

Traditional vs CNT X-rays: What's the Difference?

In traditional X-ray tubes, electrons are released by heating a metal filament (like the one in a light bulb). This process, called thermionic emission, is energy-intensive and requires bulky components to manage heat and maintain vacuum pressure. The machine needs time to warm up, and the beam can’t be turned on and off rapidly.

In Micro-X’s NEX Technology tubes, there’s no filament to heat up. Instead, electrons are drawn directly from carbon nanotubes using a low-voltage electric field. This process, known as field emission, happens instantly and without heat.

Why Does That Matter?

Because of this fundamental change in how X-rays are generated, NEX Technology offers a range of benefits that make it ideal for modern medical environments:

• Instant on imaging: No warm-up time means imaging can begin the moment it’s needed—crucial in emergency or critical care settings.
• Lightweight, Compact Design: Without heavy glass tubes, filaments, or cooling systems, machines can be made smaller and more portable, ideal for bedside care, remote clinics, and field hospitals.
• Sharper, More Precise Imaging: NEX Technology sources can be turned on and off very rapidly and with great control, allowing for advanced imaging techniques and reducing motion blur in patients who can’t stay perfectly still.
• Energy Efficiency: By removing the need for heat, NEX Technology X-ray systems consume less power, making battery-powered mobile imaging possible.

Bringing the Benefits to Life

These aren’t just technical upgrades—they’re changes that improve patient care. Imagine being able to bring an X-ray machine directly to the patient’s bedside in an ICU, or into an ambulance en route to the hospital. NEX Technology removes barriers to imaging and opens up a new future of out of hospital care.

At Micro-X, our lightweight Rover Plus Mobile DR X-ray is being used in hospitals, aged care homes and in professional sports to deliver fast, accurate imaging to inform patient care from any treatment area. NEX Technology is also enabling the development of new types of X-ray devices, like Micro-X’s portable CT scanner for stroke diagnosis and our full body CT for out of hospital imaging in rural areas.

The Future of Imaging is Here

At Micro-X, we’re proud to be bringing NEX Technology to the world. We're using this innovation to reimagine how and where X-rays can betaken - empowering faster, accurate diagnosis and improving patient outcomes.

Whether it’s in a hospital, out in the field, or one day even in space, NEX Technology is going beyond boundaries and opening doors that were previously closed by the limitations of traditional X-ray systems.‍

Smaller. Smarter. Ready in an instant.

‍That's the promise of NEX Technology.