New funding project: Multispectral plastics recognition in the recycling process

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The Bavarian Research Foundation has granted the Chair of Multimedia Communications and Signal Processing in cooperation with the two companies KRALL Kunststoff-Recycling and Sielaff GmbH & Co. KG the funding project Multispectral Plastics Recognition in the Recycling Process. The aim of the project is to realize a system for the identification and sorting of different plastic/thermoplastic mixed waste by means of multispectral imaging. With regard to a careful use of natural resources, a high-quality processing of plastic waste represents an important building block. Up to now, this has mostly failed due to the fact that plastic waste is not sorted by type. As a result, high-quality recycling is currently only possible in exceptional cases. To solve this problem, a novel multispectral recording system consisting of an array of industrial cameras is to be developed as a core component for the system to be implemented. By using standard components and not using any special sensor technology, the system allows cost-effective realization. This allows for the first time the use of multispectral imaging for plastics detection at different points of the material cycle. Thus, on a broad basis, plastic waste can be turned back into a valuable ressource.