Project Number: 5325-44000-010-00
Project Type: Appropriated

Start Date: Jul 01, 2010
End Date: Jun 30, 2015

Objective:
The overall objective is to develop high throughput (~75 samples/s), economically feasible sorting devices for specialty crop product streams. The means for detection will include sensors and/or imaging coupled with algorithm development that differentiates good product from defective, contaminated, or otherwise undesirable product. Sorting devices based on these techniques may be high-speed and non-destructive for mass inspection or as an aid in the sampling and grading process. Specific objectives over the period covered by this project plan are: Detect insect damage in almonds; Detect fungal infestation in walnuts; Detect Olive fly infestation in olives and; Sort shells and kernels in the pistachio nut process stream.

Approach:
1) Appropriate methodologies will be developed to create samples of the product defect to be identified in sufficient quantity for sorter and algorithm development. 2) Using primarily x-ray and color camera imaging technology features will be identified that distinguish undesirable product from good product. 3) Automatic algorithms will be developed to extract the identified features from images in real-time. 4) Material handling systems will be developed to allow construction of prototype sorting devices based on 1 through 3 above. 5) Prototype testing will be conducted to demonstrate the feasibility of implementing the technology in processing plant environments.