Tracking Logs with RGB Images within the Wood Supply Chain: A Preliminary Study on Image Acquisition

Abstract

Abstract In addition to the fact that actions have been taken by the European Union and the World Bank to impede illegal logging worldwide, full traceability of logs would also be of benefit to the timber industry and market participants. Therefore, in this study, basic conditions for RGB image acquisition are derived for tracking roundwood by means of biometric features on log end faces within the wood supply chain from stump to sawmill. For this purpose, 24 logs were initially photographed in the forest after felling and photographed a second time 8 weeks later in the sawmill. Difficulties in image acquisition were analyzed qualitatively as well as quantitatively by comparing the images made in the forest with those made in the sawmill. The quantitative evaluation was carried out using different measures that are well established with respect to digital image processing. Tracking efforts solely by means of these measures turned out to be unsuitable. However, the shape measures performed best and are assumed to be supportive in combination with other methods. Therewith, conditions for a practical implementation in the future can be deduced.