With the aid of the imaging technique known as optical coherence tomography (OCT), optical scattering media (e.g., biological tissue) can be imaged in two and three dimensions with micrometer-resolution. OCT is utilized in industrial non-destructive testing (NDT) and medical imaging. Similarly, OCT can be applied in agriculture and different biological tissues, such as seeds.

This project provides an opportunity to measure observable traits in several types of seeds, and to reach broad information about the seed. Seed characteristics such as imbibition, dehulling, and cooking time might have a correlation with observable seed traits like seedcoat thickness, shape of seed, roundness, surface roughness. To measure these traits, researchers have used different methods which are typically destructive, and time-consuming. In this project, further testing will be conducted, using Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), to measure those traits and find a potential correlation between biological and physical characteristics by interpretation of OCT images.