Application of LS-SVM to non-linear phenomena in NIR spectroscopy: development of a robust and portable sensor for acidity prediction in grapes

Nowadays, near infrared (NIR) technology is being transferred from the laboratory to the industrial world for on-line and portable applications. As a result, new issues are arising, such as the need for increased robustness, or the ability to compensate for non-linearities in the calibration or instrument. Semi-parametric modeling has been suggested as a means for adapting to these complications. In this article, Least-Squared Support Vector Machine (LS-SVM) regression, a semi-parametric modeling technique, is used to predict the acidity of three different grape varieties using NIR spectra. The performance and robustness of LS-SVM regression are compared to Partial Least Square Regression (PLSR) and Multivariate Linear Regression (MLR). LS-SVM regression produces more accurate prediction. However, SNV pretreatment is required to improve the model robustness.