A recent study, reported by Science Daily, reveals that approximately 30% of the world's avocado production was wasted in 2020. The main reasons for this waste include damage during handling and over-ripening of the fruit before sale. To address this problem, considerable investments have been made in the search for solutions.

Traditionally, determining the ripeness of avocados has relied on optical technologies and manual methods, which have proven insufficiently effective, as evidenced by the high rate of waste. In response to this need, the industry has demanded a device that automates this process.

Ghenova, an engineering company based in Seville, has responded to this demand by creating the mechatronic system known as Arpodes, which monitors the ripening process of avocados and can be adapted to other fruits. Partially funded by the Technological Corporation of Andalusia and Red.es, Arpodes emulates the manual method of detecting ripeness by applying pressure to the avocado. It uses two sensors and a high-precision motor, whose data is processed by a deep learning model previously trained by industry experts.

Although it is currently only a prototype that processes one avocado at a time, its development is expected to contribute to optimizing logistical efficiency in the supply chain, especially in the context of the growing global demand for avocados.

Source: El Confidencial