Automated Prototype for Bombyx mori Cocoon Sorting Attempts to Improve Silk Quality and Production Efficiency through Multi-Step Approach and Machine Learning Algorithms
Author(s)
Date Issued
2023
Type
article
Volume
23
Issue
2
Journal
Abstract
Cocoon sorting is one of the most labor-demanding activities required both at the end of the agricultural production and before the industrial reeling process to obtain an excellent silk quality. In view of the possible relaunch of European sericulture, the automatization of this production step is mandatory both to reduce silk costs and to standardize fiber quality. The described research starts from this criticality in silk production (the manual labor required to divide cocoons into different quality classes) to identify amelioration solutions. To this aim, the automation of this activity was proposed, and a first prototype was designed and built. This machinery is based on the use of three cameras and imaging algorithms identifying the shape and size of the cocoons and outside stains, a custom-made light sensor and an AI model to discard dead cocoons. The current efficiency of the machine is about 80 cocoons per minute. In general, the amelioration obtained through this research involves both the application of traditional sensors/techniques to an unusual product and the design of a dedicated sensor for the identification of dead/alive pupae inside the silk cocoons. A general picture of the overall efficiency of the new cocoon-sorting prototype is also outlined.
Additional information
Author Contributions
Conceptualization, S.V. (Simone Vasta), C.C., S.F. and S.C.; methodology, L.O., S.V. (Simone Vasta), F.T. and S.F.; software, L.O. and S.F.; validation, F.P. and C.C.; formal analysis, L.O.; investigation, S.F.; resources, A.A. and S.C.; data curation, S.V. (Simone Vasta), F.T. and S.F.; writing—original draft preparation, S.V. (Simona Violino), L.M., S.C., A.A., A.S., C.C. and F.P.; writing—review and editing, S.V. (Simona Violino), L.M., S.C., A.A., A.S., C.C. and F.P.; visualization, S.V. (Simona Violino), L.M., C.C. and F.P.; supervision, C.C., S.F., A.A. and S.C.; project administration, S.C. and A.A.; funding acquisition, S.C. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
Acknowledgments
Luciano Ortenzi developed and implemented algorithms and performed computations. Authors would like to acknowledge the company Jointech srl (Rome, Italy) for prototype manufacturing and programming PLC.
Conceptualization, S.V. (Simone Vasta), C.C., S.F. and S.C.; methodology, L.O., S.V. (Simone Vasta), F.T. and S.F.; software, L.O. and S.F.; validation, F.P. and C.C.; formal analysis, L.O.; investigation, S.F.; resources, A.A. and S.C.; data curation, S.V. (Simone Vasta), F.T. and S.F.; writing—original draft preparation, S.V. (Simona Violino), L.M., S.C., A.A., A.S., C.C. and F.P.; writing—review and editing, S.V. (Simona Violino), L.M., S.C., A.A., A.S., C.C. and F.P.; visualization, S.V. (Simona Violino), L.M., C.C. and F.P.; supervision, C.C., S.F., A.A. and S.C.; project administration, S.C. and A.A.; funding acquisition, S.C. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
Acknowledgments
Luciano Ortenzi developed and implemented algorithms and performed computations. Authors would like to acknowledge the company Jointech srl (Rome, Italy) for prototype manufacturing and programming PLC.
Subjects
File(s)![Thumbnail Image]()
Name
sensors-23-00868.pdf
Size
3.23 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
bc4163b8a049827c32f09d7a1b3a4a55
Project(s)
Serinnovation, PSR Veneto 2014-2020.