NIR Plant Content Scanning for Non-Destructive Quality Assessment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for determining the quantity and quality of primary products and byproducts in plants, such as fruits, are destructive, time-consuming, and costly, rendering them unusable for sale and lacking in early read information for sourcing and processing.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of Near-Infrared (NIR) scanning technology for rapid, non-destructive testing of fruit contents, allowing for the sourcing and processing of fruits based on relative cost-for-content values and adjusting extraction processes accordingly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If destructive wet chemistry testing is used to determine plant contents, then measurement precision is improved, but the plant is destroyed and time consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces destructive mechanical/chemical testing systems with optical sensing systems (NIR, VIS, SWIR scanners) that use light interaction to determine plant contents non-destructively, eliminating the need for physical destruction while maintaining measurement capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces spectral data as an intermediary between the plant and the measurement process. The spectral characteristics obtained through optical scanning serve as a mediator that correlates with plant contents (oil, juice, fiber) without requiring direct chemical extraction or destruction of the plant material
2Measurement precision
If destructive wet chemistry testing is used to determine plant contents, then measurement precision is improved, but cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes expensive laboratory wet chemistry equipment and procedures with more economical optical scanning systems that can be deployed in field or processing environments, reducing both equipment and operational costs while maintaining measurement accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates spectral copies of the plant's optical characteristics that can be analyzed without consuming the original plant material. This allows multiple measurements and analyses from the same spectral data, eliminating the need for repeated destructive sampling
3Productivity
If rapid non-destructive testing is used, then productivity is improved and plant usability is maintained, but measurement precision may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent develops multi-functional optical scanning systems that can simultaneously determine multiple plant contents parameters (oil content, juice content, fiber content, moisture) from a single non-destructive scan, enabling comprehensive analysis without repeated measurements or plant destruction
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces sequential destructive chemical analysis with parallel optical sensing that can simultaneously measure multiple plant characteristics through different spectral ranges (NIR, VIS, SWIR), achieving both speed and comprehensive measurement capability
4Adaptability or versatility
If early read information on plant contents is obtained, then adaptability in sourcing and processing is improved, but additional testing capability is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the testing system into distinct functional components: optical scanners for data collection, processing systems for spectral analysis, and databases for storing and retrieving plant content information. This modular approach enables flexible deployment and integration while managing system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses spectral data and processed plant content information as intermediaries that enable early read capability and informed decision-making in sourcing and processing operations, allowing adaptability without requiring complex real-time control systems
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables efficient and cost-effective maximization of valuable primary products and byproducts by providing accurate, real-time data on fruit contents, optimizing sourcing, processing, and extraction processes.
Implementation Method 1
A rapid, non-destructive near-infrared (NIR) scan is performed on the gathered fruit to obtain spectral data for the gathered fruit
Data Source
AI summary
A method for sourcing plants includes performing nondestructive near-infrared (NIR) scans on selected plants, determining a predicted value of a characteristic for the selected plants based on evaluation of spectral data from the NIR scans against a characteristic model, and utilizing the predicted values for purchasing, processing, and/or financial forecasting. A method of sorting and processing plants includes determining a predicted value of a characteristic in gathered plants and determining a process to recover a primary product and/or a byproduct of the plants based on the predicted value. A method for forecasting includes determining a composite value of a characteristic in plants from a prior time period, correlating source data of plants to be gathered in the later time period with a predicted value of the characteristic in those plants, and determining a predicted composite value of the characteristic in the plants to be gathered in the later time period.