Kalman filtered depth prediction using Optical Coherence Tomography for laser bone cutting

Laser osteotomy may benefits patients with minor damage to the bone and accelerated the healing process. However, the lack of depth control is still needed to be overcome. We proposed to use Optical Coherence Tomography imaging for depth control of the laser ablation process. The OCT image provides geometrical information over the ablation spot and enables the measurement of depth in real-time. Additionally, we demonstrated the use of Kalman filter to predict incoming pulse ablation depth and avoid excessive cut than planned. The result shows that the Kalman filter reduced the error between the planned and real ablated depth