Toward an automatic wheat purity measuring device: A machine vision-based neural networks-assisted imperialist competitive algorithm approach

Wheat product quality is closely related to wheat seed purity. Purity is an important factor that has a considerable impact on wheat product prices in grain storage silos. The aim of this paper was to introduce a machine vision based approach as a primarily step for fabricating an automatic wheat purity determination and grading device. Experimental data consists of 52 color, morphology, and texture characteristic parameters, extracted from images of samples, including four local wheat grades and eight common weed seeds growing in wheat fields of Iran, were used to build the classification models. A new algorithm that combines Imperialist Competitive Algorithm (ICA) and Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) has been used for two purposes: to find the best characteristic parameters set and to create robust classification models. Based upon the results obtained from this study, the total classification rate of ICA-ANN approach for wheat grains vs. non-wheat seeds, wheat grain classes, and non-wheat seed classes was 96.25%, 87.50%, and 77.22%, respectively.