Sorma’s HyperVision elevates fruit defect detection during sorting

The Sorma Group, Cesena, Italy, has expanded the capabilities of its optical sorting machine with HyperVision, allowing it to analyze up to 15 pieces of fruit each second.

The HyperVision platform, developed by the company’s Spanish subsidiary, Sorma Iberica, is designed to be  used with SormaTech sorters. The platform uses multi-wavelength lighting to increase efficiency on packing lines, according to a news release.

With SormaTech’s Hyper-Map system, the sorter can process up to 2,160 images of each fruit, giving a 360-degree view of the fruit surface.

“Consumers, when they see that one or more pieces of fruit inside the pack are damaged, may not proceed with the purchase,” Daniele Severi, director of the technology division of Sorma Iberica, said in the release. “These new technologies demonstrate Sorma Group’s commitment to tackling food waste: it’s therefore not just a question of production efficiency, but also of ethics.”

SormaTech uses “deep learning algorithms” and nine cameras (six of which uses near-infrared radiation to analyze the fruit), HyperVision analyses the entire fruit surface over the entire bandwith of visible and invisible light, according to the release.

“This ensures the most accurate selection based on internal and external quality, colour and shape,” Severi said in the release. “Thanks to its technology, HyperVision makes it possible to discard fruit with over-ripe areas that cannot be detected by normal vision, enabling fruit and vegetable companies to organize export plans to international markets with full product quality assurance, even after several days’ travel.”

The new platform is user-friendly; its InstanDefect interface allows users to easily modify defect detection options.

HyperVision is available on the market and receiving favorable feedback, according to the company.

“HyperVision is the result of the adoption of the best existing technologies and a continuous dialogue between Sorma and operators”, Andrea Mercadini, CEO of the Sorma Group, said in the release. “Our goal is to develop projects that meet concrete needs, including in the post-collection segment, where we can now offer a unique service.”