Globally, the demand for improved food quality and safety is growing. Food products must be uniform, visually appealing, and free of defects. In addition, increasingly higher standards are being set across the entire food sector. For this reason, highly efficient, high-performance optical sorters are typically used in the final stage of seed and food processing. Even the smallest details can be detected and subsequently sorted using these sorters. Continuous progress is being made in the fields of lighting systems, computer technology, and camera technology. However, artificial intelligence and deep learning have also given the software aspect an enormous boost. In the future, the importance of optical sorters will continue to grow thanks to the fruitful combination of hardware and software.
Seed-X, a company specializing in AI and deep learning algorithms for the analysis of seeds and grains, is collaborating with PETKUS—a world-leading manufacturer of optical sorters for seed and grain processing—to develop a new generation of sorters that optimize seed lots and set higher standards for germination and purity.
To meet market requirements for germination, purity, and health, seed and grain lots undergo a “refinement protocol” in which seed batches are sorted using multiple, multi-stage screening methods. Nevertheless, every year, 10–15% of these optimized lots fail to meet the requirements, causing these batches to automatically lose their value.
"Seed-X has developed a technology that solves this problem. The use of artificial intelligence and machine vision enables the individual analysis and characterization of seeds and kernels to determine their quality. “We were looking for a machinery expert with unparalleled know-how and experience who shares our vision and can complement our proprietary software technology with an outstanding hardware solution—and in PETKUS, we found just that,” says Sarel Ashkenazy, CEO of Seed-X.
“Technology transforms markets and can make an enormous contribution when used correctly. PETKUS has been seeking technological solutions that, combined with our mechanical strengths, can transform the market for premium seeds and grains. We see Seed-X’s AI and deep learning technology as providing significant added value for seed and grain companies and processors that are faced with unusable inventory that does not meet market requirements,” says Dr. Khaled Raed, Vice President & CIO of PETKUS Technologie GmbH.
“With PETKUS’ sales presence and distribution network in 21 countries around the world, this collaboration is an important step toward a new era of intelligent seed sorting machines,” adds Ashkenazy
The agreement between the two companies grants PETKUS a license to manufacture, sell, and market optical seed and grain sorters equipped with Seed-X’s proprietary AI algorithm—a move intended to pave the way for a more secure future for the seed and grain industry.