Universitas Gadjah Mada Develops AI for Detection and Measurement of Bacterial Cellulose, Enhancing Bioproduct Production Efficiency
Implementation of Artificial Intelligence in Object Recognition Methods for Bacterial Cellulose During Fermentation
YOGYAKARTA – Darmawan Ari Nugroho, S.T.P., M.P., a researcher from the Faculty of Agricultural Technology at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), is leading an innovative research project implementing artificial intelligence (AI) to monitor the fermentation process of bacterial cellulose (BC). This cross-faculty collaborative research at Universitas Gadjah Mada, funded internally, aims to detect and measure BC objects in real time using deep learning techniques to improve production control accuracy and efficiency in bioproduct development.
Bacterial cellulose (BC) is a natural biopolymer with unique properties such as high strength, purity, and biocompatibility, making it highly promising for various applications, ranging from biomedical to food industries. However, manual monitoring of BC quality and thickness during fermentation is often inefficient and less accurate.
Addressing this challenge, the research—currently ongoing in 2025—focuses on implementing AI, particularly deep learning techniques, for BC object recognition. The developed system is designed to automatically detect and measure the thickness and quality of BC in real time during the fermentation process.
With this precise monitoring capability, the accuracy of BC production control is expected to improve significantly. This will not only reduce potential errors and waste but also support the development of more efficient and high-quality BC-based bioproducts. The output of this research is an AI model or algorithm that can be directly implemented in production systems.
This innovation marks a significant step forward in the application of AI in the food and agriculture sector (AI for Food & Agriculture), particularly in bioproduction optimization. The successful implementation of this system is expected to pave the way for smarter and more sustainable bacterial cellulose production, contributing significantly to the future of the bioproduct industry.
