Monaco cultural hub deploys AI technology from i-PRO

i-PRO has announced that the Grimaldi Forum Monaco (GFM) has chosen its multi-sensor and fisheye security cameras with advanced AI-based analytics to enhance visitor safety, protect priceless artworks and ensure a seamless and secure experience during high-profile events.

Located in Monaco, GFM serves as a prominent venue for conferences, conventions, cultural events and world-class art exhibitions.

The facility hosts over 100 events annually, attracting more than 250,000 people a year.

“When the Forum re-opened its doors to the public after a shutdown period due to COVID, we were looking for a solution that would help us manage the number and flow of visitors while ensuring the security of the premises,” said Philippe Martin, Director of Safety, Fire and Risk Prevention at GFM.

“At the time, we were also planning for [a] much-anticipated Monet exhibition, so we wanted to find the best possible technology to protect these unique masterpieces without interfering with the visitor experience or compromising with the venue’s aesthetic values.”

Protecting culturally significant works

According to i-PRO, over 100 of its cameras were installed at GFM, the benefits of which include a wide range coverage without blind spots.

The high imaging performance with wide-area surveillance and IR LED lighting of the multi-sensor cameras allows GFM security teams to monitor activity across a large room while also focusing with great precision on an area of interest, any time of day or night.

GFM was therefore able to considerably reduce the number of cameras required, saving the venue money.

“If it wasn’t for the wide range of coverage offered by i-PRO’s multi-sensor cameras, we would have had to add another 77 cameras,” said Martin.

“Not only do they offer wider coverage capabilities with a larger tilt range than other multi-sensor cameras on the market, but they are small and discreet so they can blend into the design of our beautiful facility.”

GFM also implemented i-PRO’s Scene Change Detection, an AI-based analytic application that alerts security teams to anomalies within the camera’s field of view.

This technology safeguards artworks by identifying unusual behavior or unauthorized proximity to valuable pieces.

Using the i-PRO Active Guard plug-in, the GFM security team can quickly conduct real-time searches during an incident or deep forensic analysis post-event.

They no longer have to spend time looking at multiple screens for persons of interest or watch hours of recorded video to search for important events.

The i-PRO fisheye cameras were also strategically positioned to monitor large areas, the company says.

The advanced AI analytics in these cameras enable GFM personnel to detect congestion, manage visitor traffic flow and count the number of people in specific areas.

Heat maps additionally provide statistical insights into traffic flow.

“The technology we have implemented has precisely met the objectives we set at the beginning of this project,” added Martin.