Fruit Scanner

A cheap machine to scan the surface of a fruit, and coding it as a VRML

  • by E.Magnanini (mechanics, electronics, PC-interface and VB-code)
  • G.Vitali (VRML coding)

2008

Motivation to the study

Digitizing plant organs is fundamental in modern eco-physiology as a basic starting point for biometry which can be used to parameterize and definitely recognise varieties. Some organs as fruit, those of particular size (together with a market interest) can be conveniently digitised touching its surface.This project has been developed to understand how to record a fruit both from tree plants and vegetable, which basically a cylindrical symmetry and which a size close to that of an apple. A 3D scanner has been conceived, designed and realized, tested and several fruits have been scanned.

 

Technology

The scanner is made of a finger which gently touch the fruit while it rotates around a motor-driven axis. Motor steps and finger pivot angles are recorded in a serial interface connected PC where a VB-program listen to port values. Recorded values are transformed in spatial coordinates and resampled to obtain the fruit in a greater detail; a VRML2 exporter has been finally developed to allow the fruit recorded to be observed with available renderer;

Problems Emerged

Main problems to which orient further enhancement will deal with convexity management and increase of resolution

Contatti