The 2024 Summer Olympics are upon us! Over the course of 17 days, an expected 1 billion people around the world will tune into Paris 2024 to salute athletic achievement and revel in the spirit of the Olympic Games. The “Olympic Spirit” is a celebration of much more than the final medal table — it’s a championing of the effort, determination and continuous innovation that’s derived from a pure love of sports.
While the athletes themselves are most synonymous with this concept, it’s an idea that also drives the International Olympic Committee, its broadcast partners and sponsors to greater heights with each passing Olympiad. Paris 2024 is at the forefront of technological advancements in broadcast coverage, promising to reshape the world of athletics for spectators and competitors. Let’s take a look at the latest and greatest advancements and identify what switch technology is used at the 2024 Olympic Games.
Artificial Intelligence
Advanced AI technologies are all the rage across almost every industry at the moment, and they’ll be a huge discussion point in Paris while being utilized to enhance accessibility features, real-time data processing, content management and the overall fan experience. This Olympiad promises to be the most engaging, accessible and immersive yet, and AI is largely driving the advancements that will set the stage for the future of sports broadcasting.
For example, AI is being used to provide real-time captions and subtitles for live coverage, as well as powering advances in universal accessibility for the visually impaired. AI will also harness and process data from various biometric sensors deployed throughout events. This real-time data processing will then provide viewers with insights into performances and will allow for more immersive and interactive broadcasts.
This intersection of artificial intelligence, immense stores of data and deep learning algorithms is only possible with high performance computing. E-Switch has many products that cater to this market, including our TL1105 Series tact switch, which has been used in GPU computing systems.
TL1105 Series Tactile Switch
Broadcast Cameras and Audio
There will be over 3,000 microphones, 1,000 camera systems and nearly 150 different broadcast organizations at Paris 2024. NBC will deploy over 600 microphones, headsets and headphones, nearly 100 cameras across events and multiple switcher models to manage feeds from each venue to the broadcast giant’s Paris production facility.
This equipment includes mono and stereo shotgun mics for capturing the action and immersive 8.0 microphones for enhanced audio experiences. NBC’s indoor and outdoor studios will also be a sight to behold with high-resolution LED displays presenting visual content and enhancing production quality.
E-Switch provides a robust line of products that cater to the audio/visual market. Recently, our TL53 Series tact switch — which features a stacked design of two independent switches in a single package — was used in a microphone assembly.
TL53 Series Dual Tactile Switch
Network Infrastructure
With the deployment of advanced networking technology, the secure delivery of 4K and 8K content won’t be a problem for creators at the International Broadcast Center in Paris. Security and observability solutions will also be used for comprehensive network monitoring and management.
The incredible opening ceremony will feature almost 100 boats carrying an estimated 10,500 athletes along the Seine River, and each of those boats will come equipped with Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra smartphones, powered by a 5G network, to offer viewers a closer look with on-board footage of the first-of-its-kind celebration.
E-Switch has many products for the telecommunications market. For example, our TL3275 Series tact switch was recently utilized in a wireless server, and our 800 Series subminiature pushbutton switch features in broadband routers.
TL3275 Series Illuminated, Right Angle SMT Tact Switch
Sustainability
The Olympic Committee’s dedication to sustainability and carbon neutrality has created a new standard for sporting events. By improving resource allocation, energy consumption and waste management, the Olympic Games have optimized energy usage in venues and enhanced operational efficiency.
E-Switch provides a robust line of switch products for sustainable energy devices. For example, our popular ULV4 Series has recently been utilized in an EV charger.
ULV4 Series UL Certified, Long Life Anti-Vandal Switch
The opening ceremony starts at 1:30 p.m. ET on Friday, July 26, and is expected to last more than three hours. The ceremony will air on NBC and stream on Peacock and NBC Olympic platforms. The closing ceremony is slated for Sunday, Aug. 11, at 2 p.m. ET on NBC.