The Ministry of Agriculture’s Tea Research and Extension Station (TRES) in Taiwan has unveiled an AI coffee bean sorter that significantly boosts the efficiency of coffee bean processing. This state-of-the-art machine, developed in collaboration with local coffee operators, doubles the processing rate to 5-6 kilograms per hour with a 95% success rate, compared to the manual sorting rate of 2-3 kilograms per hour. The AI sorter employs advanced image recognition technology to examine each bean from a 360-degree perspective, classifying defects into various levels and removing defective beans with insect bites, thus reducing labor costs. This innovation has earned a utility model patent in Taiwan, marking a substantial leap in coffee processing technology. While foreign machines can process more beans per hour, they lack the precision for specialty coffee sorting that Taiwan's technology provides. Additionally, TRES has developed the Taiwan tea Assortment and Grading system (TAGs) to help consumers judge tea quality without tasting, further cementing Taiwan's reputation as a leader in agricultural tech innovations.
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