i-PRO wins AI-powered surveillance deal with Monaco expo centre

The state-of-the-art Grimaldi Forum Monaco (GFM) has adopted intelligent security solutions from i-PRO Co., Ltd., a global leader in professional security solutions for surveillance and public safety. GFM has incorporated i-PRO's multi-sensor and fisheye security cameras, complete with advanced AI-based analytics, to bolster visitor safety, safeguard irreplaceable artworks and ensure a seamless and secure experience during high-profile events.

Grimaldi Forum Monaco, based in the city-state of Monaco, serves as a major venue for conferences, conventions, cultural events, and world-class art exhibitions. The Forum hosts over 100 varied annual events, attracting more than 250,000 people. In the summer of 2023, it proudly presented the highly esteemed "Monet in Full Light" exhibition, which drew 120,000 visitors within two months, displaying nearly 100 of Claude Monet's works, including rarely-seen pieces.

The initiative began when Philippe Martin, Director of Safety, Fire, and Risk Prevention at the Grimaldi Forum Monaco, faced the task of boosting security infrastructure while supporting operational processes. Martin liaised with MES I2S Security, a Monaco-based systems integrator, to install over 100 i-PRO cameras. These include fisheye and multi-sensors that come with advanced AI-based analytics.

"When the Forum reopened 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. At the time, we were also planning for the much-anticipated Monet exhibition, so we wanted to find the best possible technology to protect these unique masterpieces without interfering with the visitor experience," explained Philippe Martin.

i-PRO's multi-sensor cameras offer exceptional imaging performance, wide-area surveillance, and infrared LED lighting. This enables the Grimaldi Forum's security teams to monitor activity within a large room while maintaining the ability to focus on specific areas of interest. The use of these cameras also led to a significant reduction in the number of cameras required, resulting in cost savings. "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," Martin added.

Key to protecting valuable pieces in the Grimaldi Forum's care was the use of i-PRO's Scene Change Detection, an AI-based analytic application that alerts security teams to anomalies within the cameras' field of view. This technology safeguards artworks by identifying unusual behaviour or unauthorised proximity to valuable pieces.

Significant strides were also made in real-time, proactive monitoring and facility occupancy management with i-PRO's Active Guard plug-in and fisheye cameras. By leveraging i-PRO's AI analytics, congestion can be detected, visitor traffic flow managed, and visitor numbers in specific areas accurately accounted for.

According to Philippe Martin, the technology has been a resounding success: "The technology we have implemented has precisely met the objectives we set at the beginning of this project. But the human aspect cannot be understated; the teams at i-PRO, and MES i2S have been amazing to work with."

As a result of the deployment, visitor safety was ensured during high-profile events such as the Monet exhibition while bolstering Grimaldi Forum Monaco's security capabilities for diverse upcoming events and supporting its future expansion plans.