A Portable Tool for Spectral Analysis of Plant Leaves That Incorporates a Multichannel Detector to Enable Faster Data Capture

In this study, a novel system was designed to enhance the efficiency of data acquisition in a portable and compact instrument dedicated to the spectral analysis of various surfaces, including plant leaves, and materials requiring characterization within the 410 to 915 nm range. The proposed system incorporates two nine-band detectors positioned on the top and bottom of the target surface, each equipped with a digitally controllable LED. The detectors are capable of measuring both reflection and transmission properties, depending on the LED configuration. Specifically, when the upper LED is activated, the lower detector operates without its LED, enabling the precise measurement of light transmitted through the sample. The process is reversed in subsequent iterations, facilitating an accurate assessment of reflection and transmission for each side of the target surface. For reliability, the error estimation utilizes a color checker, followed by a multi-layer perceptron (MLP) implementation integrated into the microcontroller unit (MCU) using TinyML technology for real-time refined data acquisition. The system is constructed with 3D-printed components and cost-effective electronics. It also supports USB or Bluetooth communication for data transmission. This innovative detector marks a significant advancement in spectral analysis, particularly for plant research, offering the potential for disease detection and nutritional deficiency assessment.