Non-destructive detection of defective maize kernels using hyperspectral imaging and convolutional neural network with attention module

Rapid, effective and non-destructive detection of the defective maize kernels is crucial for their high-quality storage in granary. Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) coupled with convolutional neural network (CNN) based on spectral and spatial attention (Spl-Spal-At) module was proposed for identifying the different types of maize kernels. The HSI data within 380–1000 nm of six classes of sprouted, heat-damaged, insect-damaged, moldy, broken and healthy kernels was collected. The CNN-Spl-At, CNN-Spal-At and CNN-Spl-Spal-At models were established based on the spectra, images and their fusion features as inputs for the recognition of different kernels. Further compared the performances of proposed models and conventional models were built by support vector machine (SVM) and extreme learning machine (ELM). The results indicated that the recognition ability of CNN with attention series models was significantly better than that of SVM and ELM models and fused features were more conducive to expressing the appearance of different kernels than single features. And the CNN-Spl-Spal-At model had an optimal recognition result with high average classification accuracy of 98.04 % and 94.56 % for the training and testing sets, respectively. The recognition results were visually presented on the surface image of kernels with different colors. The CNN-Spl-Spal-At model was built in this study could effectively detect defective maize kernels, and it also had great potential to provide the analysis approaches for the development of non-destructive testing equipment based on HSI technique for maize quality.