At Olympics, Tiles Harness the Power of Footsteps
07/27/2012
 Photo: Courtesy of PaveGen |
At the London Olympics, which start tonight, people will run, walk, and jump for gold as well as green power. Outside the main stadium, 20 circular slabs lie underfoot, ready to capture the kinetic energy from bustling spectators. With every step, the recycled-rubber tiles will light up nearby LED lamps for 30 seconds.
That might not sound like much, but the millions of steps expected to pound the pavement between the stadium and a new mall could make it worthwhile. With three days of battery storage, the system can provide electricity as crowds ebb and flow.
The company that makes the tiles, PaveGen, hopes to eventually lay its slabs where they make major impacts, such as off-grid, highly populated cities in the developing world. “We’re discovering new uses for the product every day,” says founder Laurence Kemball-Cook. “I truly believe the sky’s the limit.” But the ground is the focus.
Feet have already fueled sidewalk advertisements, lighting in an elementary school hallway, and a music festival. Now the 25-year-old feels his invention is ready for the big games. And if walking isn’t your sport, the Twister-like tiles can also light up dance floors.
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For the third time in
For the third time in history, London will host the Olympic Games in 2012 four years after Beijing wowed the world. Events for the London 2012 Summer Games will take place in the Olympic Park in Stratford, East London; in the River Zone around Greenwich; and in various venues dotted around Central London and its outskirts.
The contents, like the stadium, are under wraps, so what can we reveal about it?
1. Even in the Twitter age, you can keep a secret.
2. In the land of the Pantomime Tradition, the 80,000-strong audience are up for participation
3. Directors as trailblazing as Danny Boyle can stick to the adage of "leave the crowd wanting more".
4. He uses smoke and mirrors, light and shade.
5. Tasking a film director with an Oscar-winning pedigree (for Slumdog Millionaire), brought rave music and film together with Trainspotting's soundtrack and live theatrical staging for Frankenstein makes a stunning mash-up of live performance, film, and gig.
6. Danny Boyle said he would be honoured if his ceremony was compared to Sydney's "people's Games" and it is populist in its casting, using volunteers, but with pomp and punk.
The NHS element, with real-life nurses, is there. And it feels very British. But it is still an "opening ceremony" constructed in definite segments.
7. The 204 competing nations will parade, as is non-negotiable in an Olympic opening ceremony.
Each team following their national flag - which, fingers crossed, should be right on the night. A small number of athletes, including those from South Sudan, will march in under the IOC's Olympic rings flag. It will take 1 hour 29 minutes.
Set to Underworld's mix of music of many beats-per-minute, in the hope that the athletes will step to it.
8. LA84 opening ceremony, you can keep your jet pack flying men.
Beijing, hold fast your stadium wall-walking gymnasts. The cables that span the rooftop and were included as part of the stadium build for celebration ceremonies are used to great effect.
9. It's a £27m "spectacular". And it is an aural and visual treat.
At times, it smells great, the lights are fantastic. But, at time of writing it is still not a sell out, with tickets in the £2,012 and £1,600 price bracket still available.
10. Maybe it was the evening stadium breeze, maybe the anticipation of what's to come in the sporting arena during the next two weeks.
it is really nice how the
it is really nice how the organized this event. Congratulation UK!