Research Leader
Research Agricultural Engineer
524 S. Shaw Lane, Room 224
Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824
Renfu.Lu@usda.gov; Phone 517-432-8062
Biography
Dr. Renfu Lu received his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Agricultural Engineering from Cornell University and Pennsylvania State University, respectively. He has a B.S. degree in Engineering specializing in Agricultural Machinery from Zhejiang Agricultural University (now Zhejiang University) in China. Dr. Lu has begun his research career as an agricultural engineer with USDA-ARS since 1994. He has been a lead scientist since 1999 and research leader for the research unit since 2007. Dr. Lu has also served as an adjunct faculty with the Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan. Prior to joining USDA-ARS, he was a research associate and then a research assistant professor with the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering at University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
Research
Dr. Renfu Lu’s research is focused on development of innovative automation and sensing technologies for harvest and nondestructive quality assessment of horticultural crops to help growers and processors achieve labor and production cost savings and enhance product postharvest quality and marketability. His research directly contributes to National Program 306 – Product Quality and New Uses, and also supports National Program 305 – Crop Production. Dr. Lu has authored or co-authored more than 150 peer-reviewed journal articles, four patents (three pending), and 17 book chapters and edited/co-edited two technical books. Dr. Lu has been credited for his pioneering research and outstanding technology transfer efforts in the development and application of hyperspectral imaging technology for food quality and safety inspection, which has been considered one of the most significant emerging technologies in the field over the past 25 years. Dr. Lu has led the development of innovative light scattering, spatially resolved spectroscopy, and structured light imaging technologies for nondestructive assessment of properties and postharvest quality and safety of horticultural and food products. In collaboration with a commercial company, Dr. Lu and team has developed an ASABE award-winning, patented machine-vision based in-field sorting technology and system for grading and sorting apples based on color and size in orchard at up to 12 fruits per second, which enables growers to achieve significant cost savings in postharvest storage and packing as well as reduce postharvest loss. In collaboration with Michigan State University, Dr. Lu and team has made significant progress in the development of an innovative robotic harvesting technology to address the growing shortage and rising cost of labor for the U.S. apple and other specialty crop industries. The work has resulted in three patent applications since 2020, a license for technology transfer, and a major technology development award from ASABE in 2023. Dr. Lu currently is serving as the project director for a USDA-NIFA Specialty Crop Research Initiative Program funded project on the development of an automated and integrated mobile system (AIMS) for apple harvest, in-field sorting and quality tracking. He is also leading research in developing a new structured light imaging modality with greatly enhanced capabilities for quality inspection of horticultural products.
Awards
ASABE (American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers) Rain Bird Engineering Concept of the Year Award for the development of a new robotic apple harvesting technology. 2023
ASABE Rain Bird Engineering Concept of the Year Award for the development of an apple harvest and automated in-field sorting technology. 2019
ASABE Superior Paper Award (total of 2). 2019, 2018 (for top 5% of papers published in ASABE journals)
ASABE ITSC Select Paper Award (total of 5). 2018, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2004 (for top 10% of papers presented at ASABE ITSC technical sessions)
ASABE Fellow, 2013
Outstanding Alumni Award, College of Agricultural Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, 2011
Federal Laboratory Consortium (FLC) Technology Transfer Award for the development and application of hyperspectral imaging technology for food quality and safety inspection, 2009
ASAE (American Society of Agricultural Engineers) Superior Paper Award. 2004 (for top 2.5% of papers published in ASAE journals)
ASAE Honorable Mention Paper Award (total of 2). 1997, 1998 (for top 5% of papers published in ASAE journals)
Publications and Videos:
Dr. Renfu Lu's Publications on Google Scholar
Projects:
ARS News Articles:
Dr. Renfu Lu's ARS News Articles
| Photo Caption: The ASABE award-winning, patented in-field sorting system developed by Dr. Renfu Lu’s team can grade and sort apples based on color and size for up to 12 fruits per second in orchard. The technology enables growers to remove or segregate inferior fruit at harvest, so as to achieve cost savings in postharvest handling and reduce postharvest loss. |
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| Photo Caption: The new fruit harvesting robot (patents pending) developed by Dr. Renfu Lu’s team enables fast and efficient picking of apples, which aims to address the growing shortage and rising cost of labor for the U.S. apple and other specialty crop industries. |
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| Photo Caption: Dr. Renfu Lu’s in-field sorting and robotic harvesting technologies were among the 10 agricultural innovations chosen by the USDA’s Office of the Chief Scientist for exhibition at the 100th USDA Agricultural Outlook Forum in Arlington, Virginia on February 15-16, 2024. Shown in the photo is Dr. Chavonda Jacobs-Young (right), Undersecretary for USDA Research, Education and Economics (REE) and USDA’s Chief Scientist, who was touring Dr. Lu’s innovation exhibition at the forum. | 
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