AI-powered grape sensor RipenAI could revolutionize winemaking, researchers insist
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Scientists have developed an AI-powered “grape ripeness detector” designed to make wine production more efficient – combining the use of technology and vineyard expertise to get the best wine to consumers.
A new handheld sensor provides fast and accurate data on whether grapes are ready for harvest, UK scientists say.
As grape harvesting is time-sensitive, researchers at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) have developed a portable sensor that uses a state-of-the-art machine-reader to provide winemakers with instant information about the ripeness of their grapes, reports news agency SWNS.
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The device eliminates the need for manual sampling and slow, destructive testing, the researchers said.
Xuechun Wang, Ph.D., a postdoctoral researcher at QMUL, focuses on using machine learning algorithms to build smart sensors.
“Our technology uses sensors to detect how grapes absorb and reflect different wavelengths of light,” Wang said.
An AI-powered grape ripeness detector designed to make wine production more efficient has been developed by scientists. A new handheld sensor is said to provide instant data on whether grapes are ready for harvest. (SWNS)
“As grapes ripen, their chemical composition changes – which changes how they react,” she said.
“By analyzing these spectral patterns using AI algorithms, we can measure the ripeness of the grapes directly on the vine, without damaging the grapes.”
The sensor is known as RipenAI.
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Wang said it can be hand-held, allowing grape harvesters to quickly check for ripeness before harvest across the entire winery.
It can also be installed in a vineyard to continuously monitor grapes for ripeness and plant health, he said.
A QMUL team is working to integrate technology into a robotic grape picker in a project linked to Extend Robotics and the Saffron Grange Vineyard in Essex, SWNS reports.
“Harvesting grapes at the right time is one of the most important decisions a grower makes when producing quality wine,” said the vineyard director. (Stock)
This technology is said to promise significant business benefits for winemakers.
Nick Edwards, director at Saffron Grange Vineyard, said, “Harvesting grapes at the right time is one of the most important decisions a grower makes when producing quality wine. This requires careful monitoring of key parameters such as sugar and acidity from veraison to harvest.
“It is important that the grapes ripen to the right level of ripeness.”
“It is important that the grapes are ripened to their correct level of ripeness. The style of the wine ultimately defines the right harvest window, it means the balance of sugar, acidity and taste that the winemaker wants.
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“Maturity varies from vineyard to vineyard,” Edwards also noted, “depending on factors such as clonal variety, soil type, location, exposure and highly variable climate.”
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He said “At Saffron Grange, we focus exclusively on producing premium quality sparkling wine, and data plays a key role in our harvest decisions. Timely access to accurate ripening information allows us to move forward with harvesting and winemaking with confidence.”
Winemakers will have “the ability to repeatedly test the same bunches during the ripening period … [delivering] a more clear picture of the growth of maturity than the typical destructive sample,” said the director of the vineyard about the program. (Stock)
He added, “RipenAI will support this approach by providing nondestructive, real-time information about grape ripeness across our vineyard.”
With the new technology, winemakers will have “the ability to repeatedly test the same bunches during the ripening period … [delivering] an even clearer picture of growing maturity than the traditional destructive sample,” reports SWNS.
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“Harvesting the grapes at the right time also helps to reduce the need for interventions such as de-acidification … to support the production of high-quality sparkling wine. We are very happy to be part of this project.”
Armed with encouraging early data from field testing at Saffron Grange Vineyard, scientists are looking to additional vineyards, agritech companies and even orchards to help them test the new prototype next harvest, they said.
The scientists are looking for more vineyards, agritech companies and even fruit trees to help them test the new prototype for the next harvest. (Stock)
QMUL’s Professor Lei Su added, “RipenAI will shape the future of smart harvesting in a growing industry where timing and precision. [make] the difference between success and failure,” referring to Britain’s fast-growing wine industry.
The technology is adaptable to apples, berries and more, the creators say.
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Unlike the UK wine industry, which is much smaller but growing, the US is the world’s fourth largest producer of wine, behind Italy, Spain and France, according to industry experts.
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In New York, Wine Enthusiast recently named the Finger Lakes as the American Wine Region of the Year – done by the office of Gov. Kathy Hochul “recognizes the world-class winemaking, sustainable practices and collaborative community that have helped define New York State as a leader in American viticulture.”
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