STEP-SF4.0 Development ProjectsCane preparation sensor
Host factory: UCL Company Ltd
This project aimed to develop a system that predicts characteristics of prepared cane from analysis of images of shredded cane, focusing on cane preparation for diffuser factories. The necessary project equipment was installed in the host factory in October 2020.
Camera in position above shredded cane conveyor
Data collection was performed until the end of the milling season in mid-December 2020. The captured images were analysed and compared with expert assessment of the prepared cane images.
Image of cane, adjusted for contrast, taken immediately after the preparation plant started
Comparison of the rankings by the experts and the image analysis system revealed poor agreement between the image analysis system predictions, the analytical results and the experts’ rankings, and further work would be required to determine if the system could be made to work. It appeared that the range of degrees of preparation of the factory cane was too narrow to enable the image analysis system to be properly trained. A close-out report has been compiled: STEP-SF4.0 Cane Preparation Sensor Project 
