Design of a Tomato Sorting Device Based on the Multisine-FSR Composite Measurement

Abstract

The ripeness of tomatoes is crucial to determining their shelf life and quality. Most of the current methods for picking and sorting tomatoes take a long time, so this paper aims to design a device for sorting tomatoes based on force and bioelectrical impedance measurement. A force sensor installed on each of its four fingers may be used as an impedance measurement electrode. When picking tomatoes, the electrical impedance analysis circuit is first connected for pre-grasping. By applying a certain pre-tightening force, the FSR sensor on the end effector finger can be tightly attached to the tomato and establish an electric current pathway. Then, the electrical parameters of the tomato are measured to determine its maturity, and some of the electrical parameters are used for force monitoring compensation. Then, a force analysis is conducted to consider the resistance of the FSR under current stress. According to the principle of complex impedance circuit voltage division, the voltage signal on the tomato is determined. At the same time, the specific value of the grasping force at this time is determined based on the calibration of the pre-experiment and the compensation during the detection process, achieving real-time detection of the grasping force. The bioelectricity parameters of tomatoes can not only judge the ripeness of tomatoes, but also compensate for the force measurement stage to achieve more accurate non-destructive sorting. The experimental results showed that within 0.6 s of stable grasping, this system could complete tomato ripeness detection, improve the overall tomato sorting efficiency, and achieve 95% accuracy in identifying ripeness through impedance.

Study on Mechanical Properties of Tomatoes for the End-Effector Design of the Harvesting Robot

“…The majority of tomato harvesting in China is carried out manually, which constitutes roughly 50-60% of total production costs. Manual harvesting, grading, and packaging procedures are not only complicated and ineffective but also prone to causing damage to the fruit during handling, which ultimately affects the quality of tomatoes [4][5][6][7]. Agricultural robotics has emerged as a novel research direction within greenhouse environments, with improved controllability compared to outdoor cultivation.…”