SBIR Phase IB: A multispectral system for real-time prediction of beef tenderness

这个小企业创新研究第一阶段项目旨在确定多光谱成像技术的可行性，以提供实时牛肉嫩度预测。假设是，它是有可能预测牛肉的嫩度，仅使用适度数量的波段的图像。这是基于观察到高光谱图像包含大量冗余信息。技术上的挑战是通过识别对压痛预测至关重要的关键波段来验证假设，并开发一个准确预测压痛的模型。关键波段的识别将使用数据挖掘和图像分析算法进行。该假设的成功验证将直接导致多光谱系统的发展，用于商业速度的柔嫩预测。目前，根据牛肉的嫩度进行实时分类的方法有限，而嫩度是影响消费者满意度的最重要特征。肉类包装商已经表达了按嫩度分类的愿望，因为消费者愿意为保证嫩度的牛排支付溢价（每具经认证为嫩度的胴体的附加值为170至421美元）。一些主要的包装商已经表达了对牛肉嫩度分类服务的兴趣。按20%的牛的每头增加2.5%的价值计算，向美国四大肉类加工商提供的服务每年可产生2,370万至5,870万美元的收入。国际潜力将放大这一影响。该项目如果成功，预计将通过改进牛肉产品质量的评估来满足消费者的期望，从而增加养牛生产者和加工商的经济机会。该奖项是根据2009年美国复苏和再投资法案（公法111-5）资助的。

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project seeks to determine the feasibility of a multispectral imaging technology, to provide real time beef tenderness prediction. The hypothesis is that it is possible to predict the tenderness of beef using only a moderate number of bands for the image. This is based on the observation that hyperspectral images contain large amounts of redundant information. The technological challenge is to verify the hypothesis by identifying the key bands that are central to tenderness prediction and to develop a model to accurately predict tenderness. Identification of key bands will be performed using data mining and image analysis algorithms. Successful verification of the hypothesis will directly lead to the development of a multispectral system for tenderness prediction at commercial speeds. Currently there are limited methods for real time classification of beef by tenderness, the most important trait influencing consumer satisfaction. Meat packers have expressed a desire to sort by tenderness, because consumers are willing to pay a premium for steaks that are guaranteed tender (an added value of $170 to $421 per carcass certified as tender). Some of the major packers have expressed interest in a service to classify beef for tenderness. At 2.5% of value added per head for 20% of the cattle, annual revenue of $23.7 million to $58.7 million could be generated from service sales to the top four U.S. meat packers. International potential would magnify this effect. This project, if successful, is expected to enhance economic opportunities for cattle producers and processors by improving assessment of beef product quality to meet consumer expectations. This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).