Automated Sensing System for Real-Time Recognition of Trucks in River Dredging Areas Using Computer Vision and Convolutional Deep Learning

• Main Authors: Jui-Sheng Chou, Chia-Hsuan Liu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-01-01
• Series: Sensors
• Subjects: automated sensing system; dredging construction site; computer vision; convolutional neural networks; object detection; multi-class classification
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/21/2/555

Sand theft or illegal mining in river dredging areas has been a problem in recent decades. For this reason, increasing the use of artificial intelligence in dredging areas, building automated monitoring systems, and reducing human involvement can effectively deter crime and lighten the workload of security guards. In this investigation, a smart dredging construction site system was developed using automated techniques that were arranged to be suitable to various areas. The aim in the initial period of the smart dredging construction was to automate the audit work at the control point, which manages trucks in river dredging areas. Images of dump trucks entering the control point were captured using monitoring equipment in the construction area. The obtained images and the deep learning technique, YOLOv3, were used to detect the positions of the vehicle license plates. Framed images of the vehicle license plates were captured and were used as input in an image classification model, C-CNN-L3, to identify the number of characters on the license plate. Based on the classification results, the images of the vehicle license plates were transmitted to a text recognition model, R-CNN-L3, that corresponded to the characters of the license plate. Finally, the models of each stage were integrated into a real-time truck license plate recognition (TLPR) system; the single character recognition rate was 97.59%, the overall recognition rate was 93.73%, and the speed was 0.3271 s/image. The TLPR system reduces the labor force and time spent to identify the license plates, effectively reducing the probability of crime and increasing the transparency, automation, and efficiency of the frontline personnel’s work. The TLPR is the first step toward an automated operation to manage trucks at the control point. The subsequent and ongoing development of system functions can advance dredging operations toward the goal of being a smart construction site. By intending to facilitate an intelligent and highly efficient management system of dredging-related departments by providing a vehicle LPR system, this paper forms a contribution to the current body of knowledge in the sense that it presents an objective approach for the TLPR system.