Integrated, Low-Cost and Stand-Alone Micro-Optical System for Grape Maturation and Vine Hydric Stress Monitoring (i-GRAPE)

This project aims at the development of fully integrated, small, low-cost, standalone smart system used for grape maturation monitoring. It will consist of an optical detection head ( flexible strip or transparent canopy) connected to the grape bunch, including power, signal pre-processing, and wireless communications. The detection head will be optically based (UV-VIS-NIR) using an integration of LED sources and photodiode/interference filter arrays at wafer level or wafer package level. This project aims at the development of a fully integrated, small, low-cost, standalone device used for grape maturation and vine hydric stress monitoring. It will consist of an optical detection head connected to the top of the grape bunch, including power, signal preprocessing, and communications. Reflectance and fluorescence measurements will be used at various wavelengths to probe spectral signatures for phenols (for instance anthocyanins reflectance have a maximum absorption band at around 500-540nm, and flavonols-reflectance at 300-400 at about 370nm), for clorophile chlorophylls (fluorescence at 680-750nm) and other indexes. pH and Brix will be correlated with the optical reflectance and fluorescence measurements. The project concept originated from conversations between Sogrape (a major wine producing company with estates in Portugal, Spain, Chile and Australia and the realization of the pressing need for the development of a standalone device for grape maturation and vine hydric stress control. Partners with the required know how were then contacted to bring in and incorporate the various components required at wafer level, wafer package level, component level and system level necessary for the devclopment of an electronic smart system. Furthemore, the consortium as a whole can carry developed systems into volume production.