Abstract
X-ray imaging is a technology that allows objects to be studied internally. A conventional X-ray setup make use of an X-ray source and a detector, with the object to be studied between them. Such a setup allows acquiring a "radiograph", an image in which the intensity depends on the thickness of the object and the attenuation of the material. A radiograph has the disadvantage that the image is two-dimensional and cannot distinguish overlapping structures. To overcome this, CT (Computed Tomography) scans are made. This involves recording radiographs from multiple angles around the object, which are reconstructed into a complete cross-section. CT scans require rotation of the object or source and detector, and they also take longer than radiographs. In this project, X-ray inspection of fruits and vegetables will be further explored, as this technology allows food products to be assessed for internal defects. Fruits and vegetables pass in large volumes on a conveyor belt. This makes acquiring CT scans a difficult business: it requires a system that constantly rotates around the conveyor belt at high speeds. This can create a bottleneck for volumes, and a constantly rotating machine requires regular maintenance. Although images of radiographs do not always provide as much information as CT scans, there are ways to extract accurate information from the images based on one or a few projections. The goal of this project is to develop an X-ray machine suitable for inspecting fruits and vegetables for internal quality. For this purpose, the software will be further developed, a demo setup will be made, a hardware digital twin will be created and the commercialization of X-ray phase contrast will be further investigated.
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