National Physical Laboratory (NPL) scientists have developed an imaging technology that can identify the ripeness of strawberries before they are picked. NPL’s new technology uses radio frequencies, microwaves, terahertz and the far-infra red. These four parts of the electromagnetic spectrum all have potential to safely penetrate the crop layers and identify whether the crop meets the pre-designed criteria for ripeness, for a relatively low cost. NPL has developed this technology, and the requisite software, for crop identification and selection.Annual waste from picking unripe crops can be high and can mean many thousands of pounds of lost revenue for farms every year. As a result, the agriculture industry is constantly on the lookout for more efficient ways of harvesting crops.The researchers began by modifying microwave measurement systems to measure the structure of various crops. A series of measurements made on real crops in the laboratory and field enabled a statistical range of measurements for precise size and ripeness identification. This data was then designed into an algorithm which allows the technology to provide the relevant information from a single measurement.Learn more from NPL.
Strawberry-Picking Robots Reduce Waste
