A Novel and Low-cost Method of Color Identification using Image Processing System for Natural Fibres

Colour plays a major role in the assessment of external qualities in agricultural industries and agricultural engineering research. The extent to which color is involved in determining the quality of agricultural products is extremely wide. Everyone automatically judge the perfectness and quality of a natural fibre by its color. In order to identify the color of Natural fibres, especially at the time of grading, hand and eye method is used, which is not at all accurate. In precision measurement system, dedicated instruments are used which are very costly. Color measuring instruments designed till date like Color and luster meter, Hunter scale etc. measures the physical attributes like intensity of light sources. On the other hand, colorimeters are gradually being replaced by more versatile but costly spectrophotometers. But Spectrophotometers, on the other hand, are not very attractive in terms of cost, time and skill required. So to meet the demand for color measurement, in this paper, a new method has been proposed to find the accurate color of Natural fibres using the image processing system. By this method, total color value of the entire fibre image is obtained in persentage by summarizing the pixel information obtained through whiteness index value using image sensing and analysis. The system has been proved as a very accurate and reliable system of measurement for color of Natural fibres. Beside, from the economic point of view, this novel method of color measurement has perfectly satisfied the need. Since this process of color measurement is entirely computerized, not much skill in operating and maintenance is required. The same process can be widely applicable for color determination of any natural fibre and textile based products.