Hams Automated Monitoring System

HAMS - 8095

Keywords food industry, image processing, mechatronics, neural networks, pattern recognition, sensors, vision systems, ham, meat

Start Date: To be announced / Duration: 36 months

[ contact / participants ]

Objectives

The objective of HAMS is to develop an inspection and monitoring system for the selection, classification and curing of ham, centred around a vision system and sensors to monitor specific chemical compounds. The prime target is to reduce the occurrence of "bone taints" and "souring" suffered by dry-cured hams and hence increase quality and reduce economic losses.

A prototype system will be designed and implemented with the following features:

• The selection and classification of meat as a first prerequisite for quality control will be done by analysing its colour through a vision system based on video cameras and neural network image analysis techniques.
• For monitoring the salting process and determining the salt content of the meat, specific chemical sensors will be adapted and integrated into a monitoring and control system.
• Biosensors capable of detecting chemical compounds indicative of meat putrefaction processes will form the basis of the monitoring cell for the curing process of meat. The electronic circuitry to drive and control the sensor as well as the interfaces and the software link to the database are other essential parts of the monitoring cell.

CONTACT POINT

Mr Martín Barandela
Gamesa Aeronaútica
Nieves Cano, 29D
Aptdo 628
E - 01080 Vitoria
tel: + 34 / 45 146504
fax: + 34 / 45 278599
telex: 35455 GAM E

Participants

GAMESA - E - C
DE MONTFORT UNIVERSITY - UK - P
SSICA - I - P
EFFE - I - P
GAIKER - E - P
CAMPOFRIO - E - P
UNIVERSITY OF WEST ENGLAND - UK - P

HAMS - 8095, December 1993

please address enquiries to the ESPRIT Information Desk

html version of synopsis by Nick Cook