Rapid Sensing and Classification of Blueberry Maturity

More than 200 million pounds of blueberries are sorted annually based upon visual observation by men and women on inspection lines or with equipment that observes blueberry color. As domestic hand labor becomes more expensive, the industry continues to move towards mechanized sorting processes using less than adequate sorting technologies. We propose a novel, commercially viable, low-cost classification method based upon controlled lighting that will meet the needs of the growers and the industry, increasing their profits, and creating new marketing opportunities for growers with product that might have otherwise been discarded.