Blueberry sorting is taken to the next level with artificial intelligence being used

Introduced at PMA Fresh Summit in USA and Fruit Attraction in Spain, LUCAi™ uses artificial intelligence techniques to classify and grade blueberries with even higher accuracy to precise market demands.

When fruit moves on KATO260 grading line, multiple cameras capture each piece of fruit. Then LUCAi™ uses afrtifical intelligence to identify and instruct how to classify each individual berry. Each second, LUCAi^TM can process up to 2,400 individual fruit images. With 17,408 graphics processors capable of 304,000,000,000,000 RTX operations per second, this impressive speed and accuracy is achieved. In wavelengths that are not visible to the human eye, LUCAi™  also identifies fruit characteristics, further enhancing the sorting accuracy.

BBC Technologies, part of TOMRA Food, has been working on graphic processing for fruit sorting for over 9 years, the data set behind the artificial intelligence is based on 6 years Berry Science Program. LUCAi™ has already been trialled on a wide range of blueberries from Southern Highbush hybrids, to Northern Highbush to Rabbiteye with KATO 260 customers across New Zealand, North America, South America and Europe  for 12 months. “We have sold 6 LUCAi™ installations prior to its release based on the success of testing. Customers, who were testing units didn't want to give them back and ordered LUCAi™ right away”, - tells sales manager Joshua Miers-Jones. In trials LUCAi™ proved easy to use and sensitive to subtle defects in the fruit, such as dehydration, bruising, and early anthracnose. Since its release at the PMA and Fruit Attraction BBC Technologies continues its success with further sales of LUCAi™, the majority going into South America.

Target customers include blueberry growers from 5000 kg per season on up to the largest growers. Based on the success with KATO 260 and other solutions, BBC Technologies is rapidly expanding its sales and service support globally. Jesús Cruz Barrios is the latest addition to the team and will be responsible for Spain, Italy, Portugal and Morocco.

Many companies, when seeing some industry leading technology, wonder if it can be added to existing equipment, Joshua explains that KATO 260 with LUCAi™  can be installed as an addition to any sorting or packing line or conveyor systems. “We can design the solution, which will fit to the specific requirements of the customer. Our machines are modular and as business grows or the need for technology grows the company can add new high technology modules”, - explains Joshua.

BBC Technologies has also introduced CURO8, new filling system, which is as flexible as the existing CURO12 and 16 units available. CURO8 can also fill as many types of packaging: clamshells, punnets, boxes, trays etc. The company states that CURO8 provides an economical options for small growers, and increases filling options for customer packing multiple grades with optical sorting technologies, such as the KATO260.

BBC Technologies also provides modular and scalable packing and sorting solutions for a wide range of delicate and small products, like blueberries, cherries, cherry tomatoes, cranberries, olives, and much more. For further information about please see http://bbctechnologies.com/