Artificial Intelligence (AI) plays a pivotal role in the agricultural domain, prominently within fruit production realms. Christian Aguilera, an Electronic Civil Engineer and Doctor in Engineering Sciences from the University of Bío-Bío (UBB), spearheads a project titled "Characterization of the blueberry cultivation process through 3D multispectral image analysis and deep learning techniques". This initiative is set to revolutionize crop monitoring and management via advanced drone technology. Given Chile's status as a major blueberry exporter to global markets, ensuring the optimal ripeness and condition of this antioxidant-rich fruit is paramount.
The core aim of Aguilera's research is to facilitate continuous monitoring and characterization of blueberries, thereby providing essential data on fruit maturity stages and aiding in harvest logistics planning. Drones are deployed to traverse the fields periodically, capturing images and documenting the growth phases of blueberries. This data is relayed in real-time through an application, enabling stakeholders to ascertain the fruit's condition and identify the ideal harvesting period.
Aguilera elucidates the project's capacity to not only offer visual inspections and production estimates but also to signal potential pest infestations or adverse climatic conditions, like frost, which could harm the floral tissue. The project aims to develop intelligent vision systems, allowing for multidimensional and multispectral environmental capture by cameras, thereby facilitating advanced autonomous decisions akin to those of a human expert. Continuous data provision to the system enhances AI training, ensuring the smooth operation of models and maintaining reliability and efficiency.
Source: blueberriesconsulting.com