Winning third prize at the scientific awards ceremony held at the BMW plant in Leipzig, Germany was an anti-theft device for art galleries designed by Tom Howard, a PhD student in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Bath.
His device, which is now patented, has a novel locking system using a mechanically coded plastic chip as a key. It allows a work to be firmly fastened to the wall, but it can also be removed in an instant in case of emergency.
Only 12mm thick and with no wiring, the ArtSmArt device is fitted with a special linear lock. The device fixes to the wall with screws and has two hooks that attach to the picture frame. The hooks engage in corresponding slots in the locking mechanism, and are then clamped in place.
Through the quick-release system, the fastener can only be reopened if the appropriate code card is used.
The key card is a simple plastic chip with four fingers on one side. A mechanical raster system on the surface of the fingers allow up to 4000 different codes to be entered.
Being extremely flat, the device does not interfere with the hanging of paintings, and therefore does not detract from the viewers’ enjoyment. It also enables airflow behind and around the paintings.
Tom Howard co-operated closely with the security services provider Euronova during the development of his product and adapted the lock design to the company’s requirements. One of only six students out of 230 entrants from 26 countries to rewarded, he will share part of the €70,000 (£47,700) prize money.
Student scoops prize for paintings lock
AN innovative device for securing paintings has won wide recognition at a prestigious European scientific and engineering event.
