Targeted robotic and Optical Coherence Tomography mediated laser ablation for biomedical and machining application

精密机器人在生物医学和制造领域都显示出巨大的应用前景，特别是在神经外科的精密外科技术方面，以及在用于无模板微加工的消融系统方面；然而，在宏观和微观指导和反馈控制方面仍然存在重大障碍。光学系统的使用，包括光学相干层析成像(OCT)和光学地形成像(OTI)，提供了一个独特的机会，能够以前所未有的精度直接和连续地反馈给机器人系统。OCT有可能通过光纤激光器的在线集成或在光学有效载荷中的系统输出与激光系统相结合，从而允许直接监控并实现对烧蚀过程的可能反馈控制。OCT还可用于表面和亚表面的表征和靶向--特别适用于定制烧蚀或定向靶向。OTI可以实现快速高效的大体积成像，当与基于红外的跟踪相结合时，可以实现实时机器视觉图像制导。最后，大容量OCT的最新发展可能会融合OTI和OCT数据，提供进一步扩大功能的机会。 目标包括：1)开发OCT控制的激光消融系统，用于直接反馈的消融前沿监测和控制；2)改进和推广使用OTI制导的轨迹生成方法；3)使用7自由度机械臂系统创建通过生成的轨迹进行宏观制导的协议；4)改进通过OCT保持焦距的机器人系统微制导的直接反馈控制；5)开发用于靶向消融的图像融合的优化方法；以及6)改进用于检测微流控通道和定向消融的SV-OCT方法。 具体目标包括：a)开发用于反馈控制(即激光停止)的直接链接的集成光学系统(OCT-烧蚀激光器)；b)开发用于精细机器人控制的OCT-机器人反馈和控制系统；c)继续开发用于OTI轨迹生成的稳健、通用的方法，考虑到机器人的约束和考虑；以及d)继续开发OCT流量检测方法。 在这方面，该项目的长期目标是开发一种用于微观和宏观控制的机器人激光消融的整体组合系统，该系统既健壮又可推广。在这方面，我们达到了以前拨款中设定的最初目标(即向神经外科重点发展)，但朝着更普遍的应用工程方法发展，广泛应用于工业过程，既包括生物医学工程中的定向消融，如用于组织工程的微流体通道的组织支架的精细化，也包括在激光加工和无模板制造方法领域之外的领域。

Precision robotics have shown great promise for use in both biomedical and manufacturing contexts, particularly with regards to precision surgical techniques for neurosurgery, and in ablation systems for template-free micromachining; however, significant hurdles still exist in both the macro and micro-guidance and feedback control. The use of optical systems, including Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) and Optical Topographical Imaging (OTI), represent a unique opportunity to allow for direct and continuous feedback to robotic systems at levels of precision not previously possible. OCT has the potential to be combined with laser systems either through inline integration for fiber lasers or at system output in the optical payload, thus allowing for direct monitoring and enabling possible feedback control of the ablation process. OCT can also be used for surface and subsurface characterization and targeting - particularly useful for custom ablation or directed targeting. OTI can allow for rapid and efficient large volume imaging, and when combined with infrared-based tracking, can enable real-time machine-vision image guidance. Finally, recent developments in large-volume OCT could allow for fusion of OTI and OCT data, providing further opportunities to expand functionality. Objectives include: 1) Developing OCT-controlled laser ablation systems for ablation-front monitoring and control through direct-feedback; 2) refinement and generalization of trajectory-generation methods using OTI for guidance; 3) creation of protocols for marco-guidance via generated trajectories using a 7-DOF robotic arm system; 4) refinement of direct feedback-control for micro-guidance of robotic systems via OCT for maintaining focal distance; 5) development of optimized methods for image fusion for targeted ablation; and 6) refinement of SV-OCT methods for detection of microfluidic channels and directed ablation. Specific aims include: a) Development of integrated optical systems (OCT-ablation laser) with direct links for feedback control (i.e laser stoppage); b) development of OCT-robotic feedback and control systems for fine robotic control; c) continued development of robust, generalized methods for OTI trajectory generation with robotic constraints and considerations; and d) continued development of OCT flow-detection methods. In this, the long-term goal of the project is the development of an overall combined system for micro- and macro-controlled robotic laser ablation that is both robust and generalizable. In this, we meet initial aims set-out in previous grants (i.e developed towards neurosurgical focus), but move towards more general applied engineering methods with wide applications to industrial processes, both within biomedical engineering such as with targeted ablation for refinement of tissue scaffolding with microfluidic channels for tissue engineering, and further outside of this field in laser machining and template-free manufacturing methods.