The XyloTron, or simply XyloTron, is a portable wood identification device purposely created to aid in the accurate and rapid identification of round or sawn timber and wood products, in the commercial and market applications.[1]
It was created in 2023 at the USA in the Forest Products Laboratory (FPL) at Madison, Wisconsin by the research team of the leading wood scientist and botanist, Alex C. Wiedenhoeft.[2] This novel device employs advanced imaging hardware and artificial intelligence (AI) software to accurately identify wood species. The system was designed in collaboration with field experts and incorporates custom-designed features tailored for species identification. Its name originates from the prefix, Xylo- (which means wood, in Greek) and –Tron, which implies machine-vision system (see electronics).
Principle
editThe XyloTron utilizes scientifically validated species models, which were created using high-resolution images from multiple verified wood samples provided by various scientific and industrial partners. These models enable the system to deliver accurate results in both laboratory and field settings. The imaging hardware is designed to be user-friendly, producing consistently high-quality images for analysis.[3] One of the key advantages of the XyloTron is its portability and its versatile ability to function independently of an internet connection, allowing for immediate species identification regardless of location.
The work, which led to this invention in the field of wood science, was actually initiated at FPL in 2018 by Dr. Alex C. Wiedenhoeft and Dr. John C. Hermanson, and later on, the UW expert, Dr. Prabu Ravindran, was highly involved and contributed in its creation.
Practical uses
editTimber identification that is both quick and accurate is essential -today- for preventing the entry of illegal wood products into global supply chains. The XyloTron is an affordable, field-portable wood species identification system designed to assist users (governmental, commercial, scientific) worldwide in identifying wood species with an accuracy rate of approximately 98-100 %.
This tool enables immediate and reliable identification, contributing to the global effort to combat illegal logging and the trade of unauthorized timber.[4]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "XyloTron". A new technique to identify wood species. Retrieved 2024-08-25.
- ^ "Xylotron: Wood ID made easy". UW Departments Web Server. Retrieved 2024-08-25.
- ^ "The Xylotron: A Field-Deployable Machine-Vision Wood Identification System". US Forest Service Research and Development. 2014. Retrieved 2024-08-25.
- ^ https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2020.01015/full ‘’The XyloTron: Flexible, Open-Source, Image-Based Macroscopic Field Identification of Wood Products’’, by Prabu Ravindran et al.