The pea-sorting machine, like all the small-item sorters, uses a row of small air jets controlled by the computers. Here's a more advertising-like video with slow-motion imagery of the action at the air jet station.
It's amazing that individual sorting of rice grains is affordable, but it is.
Larger fruit and vegetable items used to be graded by people, but there are machines for that, too.
Machinery like this helps to make "Amazon Fresh" possible. With computers inspecting produce, there's less need for people to shop for it themselves. Webvan tried to do this 15 years ago and had quality complaints. That problem has been solved.
Sigh... They'll still buy it if it looks perfect but tastes like unripened cardboard. :/ (Homegrown, imperfect tomatoes rock.). "Imperfect" but edible food goes on to canning, pies and other manufactured items.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbSxlZ6J1h4
It's amazing that individual sorting of rice grains is affordable, but it is. Larger fruit and vegetable items used to be graded by people, but there are machines for that, too.
Machinery like this helps to make "Amazon Fresh" possible. With computers inspecting produce, there's less need for people to shop for it themselves. Webvan tried to do this 15 years ago and had quality complaints. That problem has been solved.