Bone Fragment Detection in Chicken Breast Fillets using Back-Illuminated Structured Light

摘要

This paper is concerned with the detection of bone fragments embedded in de-boned skinless chicken breast fillets using transmittance optical imaging at the visible and near-infrared (VIS/NIR) wavelength range. Naturally occurring materials on the surface of breast meat, such as fats and connective tissues, often hinder the detection of bone because these materials' transmittance values at the VIS/NIR wavelenqth range are very similar to embedded bones. Transmittance images of chicken breast filletsalso suffer from blurring and noise, and thus a low contrast, due to strong multiple-scattering properties of the fillets. For a feasibility test, sample thickness was controlled to be 7-cm thickness by a compressed sample holder. Multi-imaging modes (transmittance/reflectance/both sides of sample) were studied to find the best possible images showing bones. A structured line light source with a transmittance mode was utilized to exploit unique scattering patterns characteristic of embedded bones. The study found that bones in 1-cm thick compressed samples were detectable when the multi-modes of imaging were fused in the final decision making. Experimental results with chicken breast samples and bone fragments are provided.