Digital twin technology for postharvest fruit quality management
This solution integrates digital twin technology with sensor networks to improve postharvest quality management of mangoes and avocados. It offers real-time monitoring and management, enhancing supply chain accountability and efficiency.
Overview
This innovative solution leverages digital twin technology to revolutionize postharvest quality management for fruits such as mangoes and avocados. By integrating a live sensor network with virtual model outputs, this system provides real-time predictions and management capabilities for the dynamic conditions of the fruit supply chain. The solution aims to address the limitations of current monitoring systems by offering a low-cost, scalable, and accessible method to accurately characterize quality reduction events and identify their occurrence stages within the supply chain.
Technical specifications
Key features:
- Utilizes an RFID temperature sensor lattice for real-time data collection
- Incorporates a customizable physics-based model of mango and avocado pallets
- Provides a graphical user interface (GUI) for visualizing temperature fluctuations and identifying anomalies
- Enables continuous data collection through multiple nodes, emulating different stages of the cold supply chain
The system reproduces a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model in OpenFOAM, using simulated RFID sensor values as boundary conditions to enhance data accuracy and reliability.
Technology readiness level
This technology is currently at TRL 5, indicating that it has been validated in a relevant environment. The next steps involve adapting the existing pallet models for digital twin compatibility, developing network architecture for continuous data collection, and creating a user-friendly GUI for operational insights.
About University of Florida
The University of Florida is a comprehensive public research university with a broad academic and research portfolio and a statewide presence. Industry collaborates through co-located labs and shared core facilities and through an integrated academic health system that accelerates clinical translation. A statewide extension network and multiple research and education sites connect companies with field-scale testing and rapid deployment, while incubators and an adjacent innovation district provide pathways from lab to market. Research is supported by competitive funding from major federal agencies such as NIH, NSF, USDA, and DOE. A dedicated technology transfer office supports IP, licensing, and startup formation.
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