Polymedia Kazakhstan topped the Control Room category at the 2017 InAVation Awards with an ambitious project that helped a regional government understand and use huge amounts of data collected from across the country. Here, we offer details from the integrator’s award-winning entry.
The Situation Centre for the Atyrau region in Kazakhstan was set up to provide comprehensive information on the area. At the centre a range of data and observations are collated with indicators from other regions within the country and used to inform future decision making.
This requires the centre to deal with vast and variable tasks that include the monitoring, analysis and forecasting of economic data across the region; the monitoring of infrastructure and investment projects; and the evaluation of security and risk mitigation in economic, financial, demographical, industrial, informational and other areas.
It also has a remit to analyse the socio-political situation, plan development across the Atyrau region, prepare and review ways to solve emerging situations, provide information on collaborative efforts with decision making and communicate and control solutions.
Information and communication technology are crucial tools needed to collect, share, visualise and discuss the data coming into the country and the government drafted the services of Polymedia Kazakhstan.
The Main Hall
The central room is where managerial decision making occurs. One wall of the space is dominated by a 6m by 2m videowall, built from eight Mitsubishi rear projection cubes in a four-by-two configuration. Polymedia ensured the videowall was front accessible for maintenance and to save as much as 3m of space within the room.
In the middle of the room is a central conference table with nine seats; eight for delegates and one for the chairman. Polymedia integrated nine Arthur Holm 17-in retractable monitors which work as duplicated screens or personal computer monitors. An operator has a dedicated workstation that offers centralised control over the displays, as well as other technology including lighting, via the integrated control system.
Each workplace has an individual Bosch conference-system channel selector for simultaneous interpretation. The flush channel selectors are built in to the table design to provide ample workspace for documents. Simultaneous interpretation can also be delivered to audience members via an infrared system.
Four autofocus high-resolution Sony cameras are used to log meetings, for videoconferencing (powered by a Lifesize codec) and for surveillance of the technology in the room. When the room is shut down, and technology switched off, one camera continues to work for security purposes.
A podium position is included near the table. It has a built-in flush channel selector and interactive 22-in Wacom display that allows the presenter to annotate and highlight content on display on the main videowall. Videowall content is controlled by Polywall visualisation software.
Three additional 55-in LCD screens are used in the room to replicate information shown on the videowall, including videoconference broadcasts, internet web pages and information from other hardware and software sources.
The audio in the main hall is delivered by Biamp Tesira and Extron amplifiers and loudspeakers. Video switching is handled by a Crestron 32x32 DM switcher and functions are accessed via a control interface designed by Polymedia.
An information and analytics system was deployed with Prognoz, a company that develops business intelligence and analytics software. It allows the monitoring and visualisation of key trends of regional development and collation of that data with data from other regions.
In the Main Hall an analyst workplace has access to the information resources of the centre and can send this data to the main videowall during a conference.
Polywall software, developed by Polymedia, was also deployed on additional displays and individual screens for conference members so they can share, manipulate and work together on the data displayed.
The Analytics Hall
The Analytics Hall is equipped with a videowall, nine workplaces and an operator workplace. Content from any of the workplaces can be sent to the videowall that is comprised of 4-by-2 videowall constructed from LM55S1 Mitsubishi LCDs and mounted with SMS brackets.
Polymedia ensured the videowall matched the resolution, aspect ratio and number of displays as the larger videowall in the Main Hall. The videowall can also be serviced from the front.
An audio system allows workers in the analytics hall to hear the proceedings in the main hall. Portable equipment can be plugged into Extron AV jacks built in to some of the tables.
The Control Room
Behind the main videowall is a control room containing three equipment racks: one containing video switching equipment and Polywall 5000 display system controller, one with control systems and one with audio equipment.
Cisco telecommunications hardware integrates with various networks, including the network of the Department of Internal Affairs in the region. This can bring in up to 70 camera feeds from key locations and crossroads of the city and region into the main videowall.
The control system is built on a Crestron Pro3 control processor and Polymedia used Creston xPanel software to deliver a GUI for centre staff to access control functions.
Polymedia completed the project under strict time schedules. What is more it had to engage with a wide range of stakeholders and bring a number of separate systems into the centre so staff could access and use them from a single point.
The project was completed successfully and in time for the grand opening when the governor of the region, Baktykozhi Izmuhambetov, and the head of the governor’s office, Ernar Baspaev, attended.
Tech-Spec
Audio
Biamp Tesira
Bosch conferencing and interpretation system
Crestron amplifiers and loudspeakers
Extron amplifiers and loudspeakers
Video
Arthur Holm 17-in LCDs
Cisco network switches
Crestron 32x32 DM matrix switcher, Pro3 control processor, xPanel software, V-Panel touchscreen
Epiphan recorder
Extron DVI-D matrix switcher, cable retraction systems and access enclosures
Flame 46-in and 55-in LCDs
Lifesize videoconferencing codec
Mitsubishi VS-70HEF78U rear projection cubes and LM55S1 LCDs
Polywall 5000 videowall controller
SMS brackets
Sony cameras
Wacom 22-in display