A research team from the Department of Agricultural Machinery and Equipment, College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences, University of Baghdad, comprising Dr. Faiz Fawzi Majeed, Assistant Professor Mustafa Ahmed Jalal, and Lecturer Haider Ali Hassan, has achieved a distinguished scientific accomplishment by publishing a high-quality research paper in Measurement, an international journal published by Elsevier. The journal is ranked in the first quartile (Q1), with a CiteScore of 10.2 and an Impact Factor of 6.1.
In collaboration with international researchers from Turkey and Poland, the team addressed one of the major challenges in mechanized potato harvesting: crop damage and bruising, which can exceed 20% during digging and cleaning operations.
The study successfully developed an electronic tuber equipped with precision sensors to measure three-dimensional impacts and vibrations. The researchers also developed an inverse artificial intelligence system comprising four artificial neural networks. Beyond predicting potential tuber damage, the system provides real-time recommendations to operators for adjusting the inclination angle of the chain conveyor to achieve maximum cleaning efficiency while minimizing bruising.
An inclination angle of 8.8 degrees was identified as optimal, striking a balance between smooth tuber flow and minimizing harmful impact energy. Under the experimental conditions, the system demonstrated exceptional predictive accuracy, with an error margin of no more than 0.15 degrees.
Congratulations to the academic and research staff of the Department of Agricultural Machinery and Equipment on this outstanding achievement. We wish them continued success and excellence in advancing education and scientific research at the University of Baghdad in general and the College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences in particular.
