Non-Destructive Assessment of Mango Firmness and Ripeness Using a Robotic Gripper

Abstract

The objective of the study was to evaluate the use of a robot gripper in the assessment of mango (cv. BOsteen^) firmness as well as to establish relationships between the nondestructive robot gripper measurements with embedded accelerometers in the fingers and the ripeness of mango fruit. Intact mango fruit was handled and manipulated by the robot gripper, and the major physicochemical properties related with their ripening index were analyzed. Partial least square regression models (PLS) were developed to explain these properties according to the variables extracted from the accelerometer signals. Correlation coefficients of 0.925, 0.892, 0.893, and 0.937 with a root-mean-square error of prediction of 2.524 N/ mm, 1.579°Brix, 3.187, and 0.517, were obtained for the prediction of fruit mechanical firmness, total soluble solids, flesh luminosity, and ripening index, respectively. This research showed that it is possible to assess mango firmness and ripeness during handling with a robot gripper.

Comprehensive ripeness-index for prediction of ripening level in mangoes by multivariate modelling of ripening behaviour

“…Vásquez-Caicedo et al (2005) proposed a ripening index (RPI) for mango ripeness, combining the fruit firmness with sugar acid ratio. A vast range of RPI values were reported in many studies (Blanes et al, 2015;Kienzle et al, 2012;Rungpichayapichet et al, 2016). Even negative RPI values were found for ripe fruits in our preliminary study (Nambi et al, 2015).…”

State of the Art Robotic Grippers and Applications

“…A robotic gripper was used in [68] to assess the firmness of mangos, accelerometers embedded in the gripper fingers were used to test the ripeness of mangos. Results were compared to the ripeness index of mangos, and the robotic gripper proved effectiveness to do this task.…”

Integration of simultaneous tactile sensing and visible and near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy in a robot gripper for mango quality assessment

“…This novel gripper presents an important evolution from other previous grippers for sensing and handling the firmness of eggplants and mangoes by using accelerometers as tactile sensors (Blanes et al, 2015a and2015b). Unlike these previous grippers that caused damages in some over-ripe mangoes due to the action of a suction cup needed for holding the fruits, this new gripper incorporates four fingers and intrinsic sensors that avoid the need of such suction cup when holding the fruit for measurement and placing.…”