Other
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Scientific MembershipsEurAgEng, CIGR, AIIA
Publications (16) View all
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Conference Proceeding: Key technological factors for successful RFID systems application in food supply chain management
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ABSTRACT: The RFID market expansion in different sectors and the significantly expected growth in the next years, depend on some key success factors, which determine the effective implementation of the technology. In some cases, RF identification is mandatory or is requested to upgrade the existing systems to enhance safety, efficiency and reliability. In the logistic management of food supply chains, different factors limit the reliability of UHF systems as in the case of the identification of high water content products. Aim of this work is to identify technological aspects and limits that nowadays prevent the implementation of RFID systems in food supply chains. The paper reports the results of experimentations carried out considering different contexts of the supply chains of some food products (e.g. pasta, bakery, drinks). Considering their high performances, relatively low cost and the availability of anti-collision protocols for multiple and dynamic reading, the research has been dedicated to UHF systems.CIGR-Ageng 2012 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING; 12/2012 -
Conference Proceeding: Item-level radio frequency identification of cheese wheels
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ABSTRACT: In large dairy companies, the application of innovative systems and technologies to automate information collection related to the single product improves the traceability reliability, optimize warehouse management and logistics, reducing costs. At the same time, due to high risk of counterfeit of the made in Italy products, new initiatives are expected also by family-run businesses to protect identity and to enhance quality characteristics of valuable local products. These systems contribute to creating an information network which could be shared through the supply chain up to the consumer. However, cheese characteristics and some particularities of the production process, as well as the long maturing period, cause many problems for the single wheel traceability; in fact, the surrounding conditions of maturing rooms (such as humidity and temperature), the frequent product handling (turning, brushing, scraping), the dry or brine salting, and the growing mould on the cheese crust make the identification of the products by means of traditional individual labelling difficult. Electronic identification of Piedmont P.D.O. (Protected Designation of Origin) cheese by means of RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification) technology could be applied to guarantee the traceability, to certify the quality and the origin of cheese as well as to protect quality marks and to guarantee consumers safety. RFID technology has been already successfully experimented in the integrated system for quality control and traceability of the Spanish cheese Queso Cabrales, while researches were conducted for electronic identification of Parmigiano Reggiano and some other Spanish cheese (Queso Ibores, Torta del Casar and Queso de la Serena). This paper reports the results of the laboratory tests concerning the RFID technology application to cheese wheels identification, that have been carried out to define the best solution for the integration of an automatic system for data collection and traceability during the production process. RFID systems, operating at high frequency (HF), were tested on wheels of Toma Piemontese, an important Piedmont P.D.O. cheese, in a local dairy industry. The application of tags was performed immediately before cheese pressing. Nominal performances were preliminarily evaluated in terms of reading distance and three-dimensional reading area of different types of tags in different orientations. Reading tests were then repeated with tags applied to the cheese, considering different tags positions: on the wheel surface and on the outer edges. Both mobile devices as well as static antennas were tested to evaluate possible traceability solutions involving or not operators labour. Tags functionality during cheese ripening (60 days) was periodically tested. The most promising solution was tested in the dairy to evaluate its reliability. In particular, an electronic cutting board was created to allow automatic detection during cutting and portioning operations. At this purpose, a HF antenna was designed and implemented using a DAT (Dynamic Antenna Tuner) and finally embedded in a timber frame. Using these devices, the electronic identification code can be automatically registered during the product handling for delivery. In maturing rooms, the identification has been performed by means of a mobile antenna connected to a PDA. The very promising results encourage the industrial implementation of the system on the whole dairy production.Efficient and safe production processes in sustainable agriculture and forestry XXXIV CIOSTA CIGR V Conference 2011; 06/2011 -
Chapter: Robotics for Improving Quality, Safety and Productivity in Intensive Agriculture: Challenges and Opportunities
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ABSTRACT: The authors would like to thank National Instruments Italy s.r.l., Agricontrol s.n.c. and CeRSAA for their support to this research, and R.Deboli, S. Tribocco, P. Pezzuto, G. Perin and G. Benvegn? for their cooperation in constructing the robot.12/2006; , ISBN: 3-86611-286-6 -
Article: Optimal worst case estimation for LPV-FIR models with bounded errors.
Systems & Control Letters. 01/2004; 53:259-268. -
Article: Sensor design, identification and control of a deformable pneumatic actuator
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ABSTRACT: In this paper the complete process of sensor design, modelling, identification and control for a prototypal pneumatic actuator is presented. The importance of pneumatic deformable actuators lies in their ability to manipulate delicate objects and to operate in hostile and dangerous environments, making them suitable to be employed for instance in agricultural or aerospace applications. The actuator under study is constituted by a rubber tube internally divided into three chambers in which the pressure can be independently controlled. The tube is encircled by several iron rings that prevent its radial deformation so that, when the pressure in the internal chambers is increased, the actuator grows longer and it also bows whenever the pressure in the three chambers is uneven. The actuator is equipped with simple and low cost sensing devices that enable to determine the changes of length along three generatrices of the tube. The sensor outputs allow to fully determine the position of the end effector. However, there exists a highly nonlinear relation between the three cartesian coordinates of the end effector and the sensor outputs, thus requiring a preliminary careful calibration process of the sensing equipment. The closed-loop position control is then implemented commanding the pressure in the three chambers of the device on the base of the signals collected at the three sensor outputs. Different control schemes (decoupled control, LQR, LQG) have been successfully applied using models of different complexity for representing the dynamic behavior of the actuator.International Journal of Mechanics and Control. 01/2003; 04:1590-8844.
