An Avercasso CS One coffee sorter at HostMilano 2023 in Milan, Italy. Daily Coffee News photo by Nick Brown.
An AI-powered green coffee sorting machine called the CS One recently made its public debut, courtesy of a new Taiwanese brand called Avercasso.
Unveiled last October at the 2023 HOST trade show in Milan and slated to greet guests at the SCA Expo in Chicago in April, the Avercasso CS One uses artificial intelligence within advanced image recognition technology to identify and separate defective green coffee beans.
Avercasso is a subsidiary of AVer Information Inc., an audio-visual electronics manufacturer headquartered in New Taipei City, Taiwan. AVer Information’s specialties include cameras and software for digital overhead document projection, surveillance applications and video conferencing, among other purposes.
The CS One leverages technology used for applications such as facial recognition, combining it with AI algorithms to identify and sort defective beans. A pair of 4K cameras inside the CS One capture multiple images of each bean as it descends from a hopper to an interior chamber.
The algorithm evaluates the images based on user-selected profiles, which can be customized by Avercasso to account for different post-harvesting processing methods. The machine accounts for primary and secondary green coffee defects, as classified by the Specialty Coffee Association.
Compressed air pushes individual defective beans from a motorized path within the machine into a separate receptacle. A mobile app provides real-time info, including the percentage of beans removed for defects.
“This AI-powered image recognition approach allows for a more comprehensive and precise sorting process,” an Avercasso representative told DCN via email. “Defective beans are not great for coffee, so we’d suggest that defective beans could be used to create recyclable, non-food byproducts.”
Occupying a footprint roughly matching that of a countertop roaster or other small shop roaster, the CS One is envisioned for use by small-scale roasting companies, producers or other people involved in small-scale quality control throughout the coffee chain. With a 2.5-kilo hopper, the CS One can scan up to five kilograms of green coffee per hour. Custom hoppers of up to 60 kilograms are available.
AVer Information CEO Andy Hsi and CTO Joseph Chen first began deploying AI applications in the coffee industry in the spring of 2022, creating the first CS One prototype six-months later. Preorders for the CS One are currently available for $20,000 USD (excluding VAT).
Next year, Avercasso plans to launch the CS Pro, a larger version of the CS One with the capability of sorting beans 10 times faster than the CS One for industrial roasting applications.
In the meantime, the company is continuing to refine its algorithms and AI profiles to account for more post-harvest processing methods.
“Not only are we developing a larger version of the green coffee bean sorter but also a smaller version to align with the trend of micro-roasting,” said Avercasso. “Alongside these developments, we are crafting an innovative AI sorting program subscription plan, creating a harmonious marriage of hardware and software. Our mission is to empower every coffee master to perfect their coffee to the next level and deliver high-quality, healthy coffee to the world.”
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Howard Bryman Howard Bryman is the associate editor of Daily Coffee News by Roast Magazine. He is based in Portland, Oregon.
