NIR-Based Fruit Ripeness Sensor EmbodimentsUsing Low-Cost LEDs and Photodiodes

Abstract

<sc>Abstract.</sc> The effectiveness of using near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy to assess fruit ripeness has been widely reported.<b> </b>This paper describes the development, fabrication, and testing of two NIR-based sensor embodiments for detecting ripeness in blueberry and peach. Each uses low-cost light-emitting diodes (LEDs) for illumination and photodiodes for detection.<b> </b>Each sensor‘s respective form factor is determined by usage scenario.<b> </b>The blueberry ripeness sensor is a standalone device with an integrated graphical user interface (for calibration and measurement) that relies on a reflectance modality of detecting spectral modification.<b> </b>The peach ripeness sensor assumes an actuated probe configuration that has been integrated into the palm of a commercial off-the-shelf robot hand tasked with picking fruit in real-time.<b> </b>The peach sensor relies on an interactance detection modality.