Page 56 - Security Today, September/October 2024

Enhancing Security and Business Intelligence
Modern ALPR software running on the edge By Ralph C. Jensen
Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) has transformed significantly over the years, evolving from a niche technology into a powerful tool for a wide range of ap- plications, particularly in border security.
From border security to parking lots, ALPR has gained traction across multiple use cases as the technology becomes more accurate and affordable than ever. I spoke with Jason Cook, business development director at Vaxtor, a leader in ALPR AI- based analytics, and Rui Barbosa, category manager, Surveillance Products at i-PRO, a maker of AI-enabled security cameras, to delve into the latest advancements and ap- plications of ALPR technology.
Q. HOW HAS ALPR TECHNOLOGY EVOLVED OVER THE YEARS, AND WHAT ARE THE MAIN FACTORS DRIVING THIS CHANGE?
Jason Cook: ALPR
technology has come a
long way from its early
days, when it required
specialized, bulky cam-
eras costing thousands
of dollars. Today, ad-
vancements in image
quality and processing power of modern
AI-enabled IP cameras have democratized ALPR, making it more accessible and cost-effective.
The powerful chipsets within contempo- rary CCTV cameras allow ALPR software to be hosted solely within the camera as an edge process. This shift means that standard surveillance cameras, costing only a few hundred dollars, can now perform high- accuracy license plate recognition tasks that previously required specialized equipment.
vancements in ALPR technology is its re- markable accuracy. At Vaxtor, we achieve around 99% accuracy rates in most scenar- ios in over a hundred countries with detec- tion rates above 99%. Such high accuracy is crucial for border security applications, where reliable vehicle identification is es- sential for maintaining security and opera- tional efficiency.
Beyond license plate recognition, mod- ern ALPR systems also offer vehicle clas- sification, motion direction, make, model and color recognition capabilities. It also can accurately recognize the country ori- gin of the license plate in its province in some cases (USA, Oceania, Egypt, Thai- land, among others).
This is particularly useful in law en- forcement and border security, where identifying vehicle characteristics can aid in tracking and monitoring suspect ve- hicles. Our software can recognize more than 99% of the vehicle models circulating in the streets, ensuring accurate identifica- tion even in diverse geographical areas.
Q. HOW DOES EDGE COMPUTING BENEFIT ALPR TECHNOLOGY, ESPECIALLY IN HIGH-SECURITY ENVIRONMENTS?
Rui Barbosa: A significant trend in ALPR technology is the move toward edge com-
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Rui Barbosa: The in- tegration of ALPR soft- ware into regular CCTV cameras has several ben- efits. It simplifies instal- lation, reduces costs, and maintains the primary function of surveillance while adding the powerful plate recognition.
feature of license
This development has made ALPR more versatile and widely applicable, par- ticularly in scenarios where budget con- straints and existing infrastructure need to be considered.
Q. HOW ACCURATE IS ALPR TODAY, AND WHAT ADDITIONAL CAPABILITIES ARE POSSIBLE WITH MODERN SYSTEMS?
Jason Cook: One of the significant ad-
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BORDER SECURITY