Computers and the 2002 Olympics: Part 2

In this second half of a special series, Computer Chronicles continues to reveal the high-tech innovations that were behind the gold winning technology performance at the 2002 Olympic Games in Salt Lake City. [Episode #1925, First broadcast: 3/5/2002] We begin with the desktop operating system that helped run the Olympic Games and Scott Hunsworth, the PC Technician at Gateway, who describes why they used Windows NT and also shows off the flat screen monitor computer from Gateway that was used at the games. Then, we discover how the Salt Lake City organizers integrated custom software images for the unique needs of different sports, then distributed thousands of computers with 50 different applications to eleven venues housing 15 different sports using a scanner/bar code system. We also demonstrate the three main systems, Info 2002, Commentator Information System and Games Management System that SchlumbergerSema provided. The Commentator Information System, CIS, allowed for announcers to have information on event happenings in milliseconds; we show you what commentators were seeing during freestyle skiing and hockey events. Bob Cottam, the chief IT Integrator with SchlumbergerSema, talks about how all these systems were kept running with 100% reliability using a standby data center. Bob Donohoo, Senior Network Engineer from Ikano, describes how self-healing technologies from Quest also contributed to the network's reliability. Meanwhile, Xavier Roig, Major Events General Manger at SchlumbergerSema, outlines the importance of testing and simulation for the people running the network. Techies weren't the only ones testing the limits of technology. Speed skaters wore the new Nike Swift Skin body suit that reduced friction by 55% and has been called the most technically advanced piece of sports equipment available. The apparel innovation director at Nike, Rick MacDonald, says the suit was developed from computer analysis of wind tunnel studies to create just