AST Oct/Nov Digital Magazine 8 | Page 81

Volume 8 ing Optical Character Recognition (OCR), which can only read alphanumeric characters in a video frame, ARES uses an Object Recognition algorithm which enables it to extract not only alphanumerics, but also other vehicle identifiers such as state jurisdiction and vehicle make. This means that ARES can more easily detect stolen vehicles or vehicles likely to be involved in criminal activity. ARES can extract more data from video than any competing ALPR solution. Furthermore, competing systems rely on infrared (IR) light, which means they can only read license plates with reflective coatings. ARES can read both reflective and non-reflective plates. PlateSmart has also equipped ARES with a stateof-the-art High-Definition (HD) capability that enables the system to capture license plates from multiple regions of interest in the same video image. Oct/Nov 2016 Edition to businesses, which can use them to gather valuable data about their customers. Additionally, ARES is an open platform that integrates with the most popular Video Management Systems (VMS) on the market, by manufacturers such as Avigilon, Exacq, Milestone, OnSSI, Pelco, Vidsys, and more. ARES is a proven trendsetter. By emphasizing fixed-location ALPR over the traditional mobile approach, ARES is leading the way in improving coverage, reducing costs, and making the job of law enforcement easier. With traditional systems, ALPR is only effective where the patrol car on which it is mounted is active, meaning a criminal or terrorist suspect can avoid detection simply by avoiding patrol cars. With ARES-equipped fixed-location cameras deployed in strategic locations throughout a city, coverage is 24/7 and is easily managed by a central authority that can deploy police units wherever and whenever they are needed. (Learn More about ARES, courtesy of PlateSmart and YouTube) In addition to these groundbreaking features, ARES also incorporates data mining and analytic capabilities not found in any other solution of its type. ARES can detect suspicious vehicle movement patterns that could, for example, indicate that a criminal or terrorist is targeting a particular facility. The system can also keep counts of vehicles in parking facilities and tell the user how long a vehicle has been onsite. Capabilities such as these are invaluable not only to security and law enforcement agencies, but also Not only is this methodology more reliable, it relieves already busy police officers from the responsibility of having to learn and manage a new piece of technology. Information can be fed to them in real time via PlateSmart’s exclusive Remote Viewer as they close in on the suspect, allowing them to be alert and aware of their surroundings. ARES accomplishes all of this for a fraction of the cost of competing systems. ARES has also shown itself to be a trendsetter in edge-based processing with the introduction of its cloud-backed Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model, which is scalable to meet the rapidly 81