Description:

Kiwifruit are harvested when firm and ripen during storage/transportation. Consequently, there is significant commercial interest in monitoring the ripeness of fruit while in storage. Radio waves are particularly sensitive to the content of free water in a material, which increases as a fruit ripens.  The aims of this project are to develop, implement and test novel near-field antenna structures to detect changes in the water content of kiwifruit.

Type:

Undergraduate

Outcome:

Research Components:

• Research suitable near-field antenna designs that can sense changes in the dielectric properties of nearby objects;
• Optimize these antenna designs to improve the sensitivity to water content; and
• Fabricate and experimentally test promising antenna designs using hydrogel phantoms and real kiwifruit.
  

Prerequisites

At least one of the students must be enrolled in Radio Systems (ELECTENG 721).

Specialisations

• Computer Systems Engineering
• Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Categories

• Radio Systems

Supervisor

• Andrew Austin

Co-supervisor

• Alisyn Nedoma

Team

Allocated (Not available for preferences)

Lab

Lab allocations have not been finalised