After 18 months of rigorous testing in a host of prestigious museums and the homes of high-end collectors, Art Guard’s MAP has proven its unique ability to prevent the theft of art and other valuables where other security methods fail and is now available to the public at large.
NEW YORK – September 19, 2016 – Today Art Guard announced the formal release of its MAP, or Magnetic Asset Protection, sensor in the U.S., Canada and Mexico after carefully supervised installations in public institutions and high-end private homes across the country. MAP is a patented wireless technology that provides object-specific theft protection by assigning a unique digital ID to art and other valuable stationary assets. The MAP technology is distinct in its ability to secure even the smallest objects. Art Guard, a Brooklyn based company, also introduced MAP Wi-Fi, a plug-and-play system providing total asset security with the convenience of home automation.
“Art theft is a growing problem in the US and worldwide,” said Art Guard co-founder Bill Anderson. “As art proliferates and its value continues to climb, the consequences of theft have never been greater. Most museums, homes and other facilities that display art and valuable assets are totally unprepared to deal with the problem – relying solely on perimeter intrusion security. These systems have to be disarmed to allow for daily activity, often leaving assets completely vulnerable. With the MAP system, Art Guard is delivering museum-grade protection, 24/7, at an affordable price to any facility displaying or keeping art or valuable assets.”
MAP can easily be installed in any location, providing object-specific protection for stationary assets, including art, antiques, jewelry, historical and religious artifacts, collectibles and memorabilia. In the last 12 months, Art Guard’s MAP has been installed in many of this country’s most prestigious museums, galleries and homes of well-known collectors.
Of particular note is the MAP installation in a museum that suffered one of the greatest thefts in history. The museum was able to open a room closed to the public for 40 years as a result of protection afforded to its historic and irreplaceable objects, meeting both stringent security and conservation criteria.
The MAP system works when a tiny magnet is safely and discreetly attached to an object and the object is then placed in close proximity to the wireless MAP sensor, which is also hidden from view. Once the sensor recognizes the magnet and is enrolled in a control panel, any movement of either the object or sensor triggers an alert and a customized response, including communication to any mobile device. Providing security for individual objects has never been as critical or as easy.
Flexibility is a major factor in selecting security systems, as is interoperability with existing home automation. MAP can act as a standalone system or seamlessly integrate with existing security systems from DSC, Honeywell, Interlogix, 2GIG, Qolsys and Elk, as well as Tyco access controls in larger facilities. With the introduction of Art Guard’s plug-and-play MAP Wi-Fi system, MAP sensors can also easily be paired with the popular Helix Wi-Fi panel for home and small facility asset protection.
Art Guard works closely with qualified security installers and integrators on the seamless installation of MAP, bolstering conventional security systems. Whether working with installers or supporting MAP’s DIY Wi-Fi system, Art Guard also applies its expertise in the art space to partner closely with qualified art handlers to ensure proper application of sensors and magnets.
Building on the momentum of MAP, Art Guard is tapping into additional opportunities in the home automation market. Art Guard is currently developing a Z-wave protocol version of MAP that will seamlessly integrate with almost any IoT system, for both consumer and institutional use. Incorporating its technology into RF, Wi-Fi and Z-wave products will allow Art Guard to address the broadest needs in art and asset security, both in the U.S. and abroad.
“Art Guard’s MAP has given both security and the conservators a real sense of comfort that no other product has been able to provide” said the Chief of Security of a major NYC museum. “Small and discreet, MAP sensors placed behind a painting or under an object can detect any unauthorized movement and deliver an immediate response. Providing this type of object-based security is the future for museums and private collectors looking for a heightened level of protection."
For more information, visit www.artguard.net
