State of the art

IT`S FINALLY 2010, which means arguably the most exciting sporting event to ever come to SA is nearly here. According to KC van Straaten, GM of special projects, MEA for Dimension Data, South Africa`s stadiums actually have a lot to offer the soccer fans in terms of technology.

Dimension Data was involved in installing various smart technologies at five of the stadiums to be used in the Fifa World Cup, as well as the Orlando Stadium. Van Straaten says the value of the contract was "significant" and the first contract was awarded early in 2008, with the last being signed later that year.

"We implemented approximately 75% of the solution ourselves and worked with several subcontractors, such as Tsweleopele, to provide local and BEE opportunities for SMMEs."

Green Point Stadium in Cape Town and Nelson Mandela" rel=tag>Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium both received a full suite of services, namely data cabling, network switching, security (CCTV & access control), video screen, scoreboard, electronic messaging, PA system, server and storage, and interface to the building management system. The others received data cabling as well as various other services, such as ticketing.

"They are undoubtedly among the most intelligent and sophisticated [stadiums] in the world," he says.

Van Straaten has "absolute confidence in the level of technology" in our stadiums for three main reasons:

1. TIMING

 "Stadiums are a long-term investment, and they tend to get upgraded every 30 years or so. It`s not often one has the chance to build a stadium from scratch," but in SA, there was the opportunity to build five new stadiums. This allowed them to be equipped with the latest technology.

2. TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENTS

"Recently, there`s been a continued movement of information onto a digital format and usage of the internet protocol to move that information around." With all information on one backbone, it enables disparate technologies to communicate with one another.

"For example, if your air-conditioner is measuring ambient temperature externally, it has that information. And it can be programmed so that if the external temperature is above 30 degrees over an extended period of time, it is able to send a signal to the irrigation system to water the pitch more often. So two subsystems that would normally be worlds apart are able to communicate with one another and provide that intelligence."

He also gives the example of an emergency situation  re. If a fire was discovered, the exits and access control areas could automatically be opened, the escalators would reroute to the exit level, the digital signage boards would indicate to people where the best exits are, the public address system would make appropriate announcements and the cameras could be moved to monitor the fire.

"If you go back two or so years, that movement onto a digital platform and an internet protocol platform had not taken place across all of these subsystems, therefore, they had to be standalone systems. Now they`re able to be connected. Because of the timing it gives us an opportunity to be putting something down which is truly groundbreaking."

3. SA SPIRIT

Van Straaten also feels SA has a "pioneering approach" when it comes to technology.

He says electrical engineering, construction and technology companies collaborated to give some of the stadiums world class, integrated technology.

The company has now received enquiries about the technology from overseas, namely Angola and Brazil. "So there`s  definitely a concept here of exporting South African IT in this particular arena."

He says these types of technologies disrupt the current stadium model. He says thinking has got to change from stadiums being just "plastic seats on concrete structures" to being intelligent venues.

"A key way of making this happen is through the use of electronics and being electronic-centric, so that one can really play out the fan experience quite fully with web, mobile, TV, just a whole host of different media-rich capabilities ... The stadium of the future, and we`re building it in some areas in SA now, has got to cater for this. Significantly, this new approach can be delivered to intelligent hospitals, airports, and hotels, among others."