Mobile Control Room: Definition, Operation, Advantages
In information-heavy environments, a control room is essential. But what about fast-paced environments that are only temporary, such as music festivals? For that, you need a mobile control room, or a pop-up command center to carefully monitor what goes on at a temporary event.
So what is a mobile control room, when do you need one, and what does one include?
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What Is a Mobile Control Room? Definition
A control room is a large space where staff can carry out large-scale operations for a business or industry. Control room operators run the system; they need comprehensive knowledge of all the systems in the room, and they can monitor and control what goes on outside via remote systems.
Typically, CCTV cameras are used to monitor what’s going on outside, which is then transmitted to monitors inside the control room. However, some control rooms are more advanced than others.
But this only explains what a regular control room is and does; what about a mobile control room? While similar, the mobile counterpart allows you to monitor and manage activities, and respond to issues, from any location.
They can be pop-ups or temporary sites, or fully mobile control rooms that move around with the other equipment.
When Do We Need a Mobile Control Room?
There are certain situations where mobile control rooms come in extremely handy. For example, temporary projects in specific or remote locations, like music festivals or fairs.
However, mobile control rooms are also crucial in industries like construction and emergency management, where the site (and therefore the workplace) can change day to day.
In these situations, a mobile control room offers the same functionality as any regular control room, but with added flexibility and enhanced mobility. As a result, it’s a crucial tool for agile operation management.
How Does a Mobile Control Room Operate?
A mobile control room comes equipped with all the essential components of any regular centralized control room. As a result, it has the same or similar communication setups, monitoring equipment, and safety gear.
With all of this tech, the mobile control room can operate at the same capacity as a permanent control room.
The exact day-to-day operations depend on the precise control room and industry. That’s part of the major benefit of mobile control rooms–they offer the ultimate flexibility to gain control over the entire operation.
Why Are Mobile Control Rooms a Good Choice for Modern Operations? Advantages
A lot of industries can benefit from mobile control rooms. If you have the right equipment and you can pack it up and move it around, you suddenly open a lot more doors to be more flexible.
This can be the key to efficient, effective operations management, especially if you work in industries like sports, hospitality, events and roadshows, film and production support, emergency management, and many, many more.
There are several key advantages:
- Overview of the operation: All control rooms are about increasing visibility and control over an operation. However, mobile control rooms are even more key. They provide situational awareness for operations that wouldn’t normally be able to have this oversight.
- Versatile: Mobile control rooms are more versatile and flexible than their permanent counterparts. You can gain the highest degree of situational awareness with advanced tools, or settle for something simpler.
- Remote management: The control room allows for remote management of systems across the event space, ensuring the entire process can run much more smoothly.
What Kind of Equipment Do We Need for a Mobile Control Room?
Each mobile control room is different and depends on the specificities of the operation. However, most control rooms have some of the same things, including centralized control systems, displays and monitoring equipment, and communications systems.
In addition to that, there are usually desks and chairs for the control room operators to sit and do their jobs.
- Displays: Control rooms need a good display system to show all mission-critical information. They may receive signals from monitoring equipment around the event, ensuring that staff have a bird’s eye view of everything that happens. Many mobile control rooms have video walls, displaying different information on different screens.
- Processors: For large operations, you’ll likely need a processor. The DXN6800 Video Wall Controller, for example, if a great option to make the control room function more efficiently. A processor ensures that all information is processed and displayed at the desired scale, in the correct position, and with the best quality.
- Communications equipment: Control rooms are the center of any operation, but it’s likely that staff will need to communicate with the outside. The right conferencing equipment ensures that distance isn’t a problem. Operators can contact other staff, clients, and other stakeholders via phone or video chat and make crucial decisions no matter what’s happening.
Often, control rooms also have safety control systems, generators (or backup generators), and extras like sensors.
Final Thoughts
Mobile control rooms are the future of operational management. Permanent control rooms still have their place, but with certain use cases, the flexibility of a mobile system is just unbeatable. Of course, with all the equipment, a mobile or pop-up control room can be quite expensive, so it’s important to make the right decision when it comes to your operation.
The best part about them is their versatility, which means you can set up your space with all the equipment you need and nothing more. Whatever equipment you decide to install, it’s crucial to research the market and find the right equipment for your needs.
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