Method and apparatus for non-contact and rapid identification of wood species

A method and apparatus for non-contact and rapid identification of wood species is provided. The method comprises irradiation of a substance with infra-red radiation which is intense enough to introducs microstructural modifications of the substance surface. Various wood species are identified by analyzing intensity of optical radiation which is scattered from the modified surf ace. The surface is irradiated with two (2) infra-red beams of different level of energy density. A wood sample is analyzed with optical beams: the first optical scanning is done prior to the first infra-red irradiation; the second optical scanning is done after the first infra-red irradiation; the third optical scanning is done after the second infra-red irradiation. It has been determined experimentally, that various wood species can be identified by analyzing intensities of the optical beams scattered from the modified surface. The method allows for non-contact, rapid and in-line identification of various species of wood. Also, it has been found, that the invented method allows for simultaneous determination of the moisture content. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a source of optical radiation, an infra-red radiation source with adjustable energy densities, and a detector. The arrangement of optical axes of the detector and the radiation sources is such that they converge at the substance surface. In second embodiment, the apparatus includes two (2) sources of optical radiation, two (2) detectors, and an infra-red radiation source with adjustable energy densities. The arrangement of optical axes of the sources and detectors is such, that they are in line with the respect to the direction in which a substance is being moved.