10 technology facts about the London Olympics

Atos, one of the tech firms providing the huge power, communications and computing and infrastructure that will be crucial to the games' success has compiled a list of ten technology facts:

#1.

The Technology Operations Centre unveiled this week is the technology ‘Mission Control’ for London 2012 – it oversees the results, IT security, power and telecommunications for all 94 Olympic venues.

#2.

Over four billion of us are expected to tune in to watch our favourite athletes perform on TV – over two thirds of the world's population.

#3.

200,000 hours - or 23.5 years’ - worth of testing will be carried out on the IT systems before the games start, to simulate and prepare for every possible scenario. To put that in perspective, that’s the equivalent of 8,333 days’ work.

#4.

The Technology Operations Centre will be staffed by 450 people working 24/7 under one roof to keep all 94 Olympic competition and non-competition venues running smoothly.

#5.

If the British summer is playing up, we could take a tip from the Chinese – who shot weather rockets into the sky to stop rain clouds soaking the audience and spoiling the party at the Opening Ceremony!

#6.

For the first time ever, commentators will have touch-screen Commentator Information System technology for every single Olympic Games sports - delivering real-time results high speed. Ten more sports have been added to the system compared to Beijing 2008. London 2012 will also be the first Summer Paralympic Games to use this Commentator Information System, with five sports added to the system.

#7.

London 2012 will be a greener, more sustainable Olympic Games. A special plant will supply electricity, heat and chilled water to the London 2012 Olympic Park using technology which produces 33 per cent lower CO2 emissions than from the electricity grid.

#8.

You can leave the cash at home! London 2012 offers people the chance to attend without cash but still pay, by using ‘contactless’ cards which will be swiped over a reader like an Oyster card to make payments. More than 5,000 retailers so far have signed up.

#9.

The Technology Operations Centre at London 2012 will also be able to process 30 per cent more results data than Beijing 2008 to meet the rapidly increasing demands of fans for information anytime and everywhere.

#10.

With 8.5 billion PCs, smart phones and tablets predicted to be connected to the internet by 2012, the London games are set to be the biggest ever online.