ICx Technologies, a developer of advanced sensor technologies for homeland security, force protection and commercial applications, announced PBA Engineering, a business unit of ICx based in Victoria, B.C., designed and installed the first set of Olympic Rings for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympics Games. The lights were officially lit on March 5 by British Columbia's Premier, the Honorable Gordon Campbell, and will be seen by billions when Vancouver hosts the games.
ICx Technologies, a developer of advanced sensor technologies for homeland security, force protection and commercial applications, announced PBA Engineering, a business unit of ICx based in Victoria, B.C., designed and installed the first set of Olympic Rings for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympics Games. The lights were officially lit on March 5 by British Columbia's Premier, the Honorable Gordon Campbell, and will be seen by billions when Vancouver hosts the games.
PBA managed the design and developed the concept of the lighting and communication system, it performed the electrical engineering and supplied the lights. PBA assisted in an analysis of the best locations to place the rings in Metro Vancouver, as well as conceptualized the project and managed the engineering. It is expected that there will be six sets of Olympic Rings placed around the region, with the first completed set now installed at the Vancouver International Airport.
The rings have custom software that can be used to provide an infinite number of lighting combinations. They measure 45 feet high by 96 feet wide, weigh 9,100 lbs. and are comprised of 26,700 individual LED lights, which are connected to a custom SunBeacon Controller that produces complex and dazzling light show displays. Communication with the lights is run with possibly the largest Controller Area Network (CANBus) in the world. The lights use a maximum of 4.8 watts each, and an entire set of rings will cost $3.36 to light per day due to the use of “green” technology incorporated into the design.
Valid Manufacturing, based in Salmon Arm, B.C., constructed the skeleton frame for the lights, Surrey, B.C.-based Mainroad Contracting erected them, and Delta, B.C.-based Cobra Electric installed the lighting system. Wayne Keiser of Cobra served as the program manager.
According to Peter Boudreau, President of PBA Engineering, “This accomplishment is not only the result of quality engineering and the products provided by PBA and our partners. The technologies used in the Olympic Rings are a showcase for some of the products, from lights to software, that ICx is working on to provide innovative and cost-effective security applications.”
When combined with wireless communication technology, these low-energy, self-contained LED lights have security applications in ICx's Perimeter Intrusion Detection System (PIDS). ICx Technologies PIDS solution incorporates quickly deployable Remote Surveillance Structures (RSS), which may utilize LED flood and beacon lights, passive infrared detectors (PIR's), thermal cameras, and wireless communication technology — all of which can be solar powered if line power is not available. The RSS uses a combination of sensing technologies to detect intrusion and then wirelessly communicates back to a central command station. The lights and devices are integrated using ICx's Cameleon Tactical software solution, which allows for a full-featured, low-cost security package.