Apple fruits categorizing based on deep convolutional neural network techniques

Abstract

For a variety of reasons, including the high degree of similarity between varieties of the same type of fruit, the requirement to train the technique on a large amount of data, and the type and number of features suitable for application, the use of computer vision techniques in the classification of fruits still faces many challenges. Additionally, the technique's effectiveness and speed both need to be improved. Deep conventional neural network (DCNN) approaches were required for all of these reasons. A proposed CNN model is described in this work. The suggested methodology is intended to quickly and accurately categorize thirteen groups of apple fruits. The proposed technique was based on training and testing the model on a maximum number of images of apple fruits, by increasing the number of database images tenfold, after augmentation was performed on the images. The technology also relied on good tuning of the hyperparameters. To further ensure the efficiency of training, validation was performed on 20% of the database. All results that demonstrate the high efficiency of the proposed model were reviewed. The results of the proposal were compared with the results of four related techniques. The results showed the great advantage of the proposed technology at all levels.