Solwise IP Camera Streams Live Footage Of UK’s First Ice Warehouse Excavation

Published 21st June 2006

London Canal Museum uses the Solwise IP camera to stream live excavation footage...

Hull, UK, June 21, 2006 – Solwise, a UK based 'Direct Channel' importer and distributor of telecoms and computer products, today announced that its IP security camera is being used to stream live footage of the “Ice well” archaeological dig at the London Canal Museum.

Louise Barrett, Marketing Manager, Solwise commented, “We are delighted to be linked with a charity such as the London Canal Museum. It’s great that children can now see live scenes of the first ever ice warehouse thanks to the quality and ease of use of the great Solwise IP Camera. The system was set up by our trade partner, Kollektive, an IT solutions company who are also using "Ethernet over Power" HomePlug adaptors to get the connection into the well. It is important that kids learn the history of their country and we believe this is a great way for them to see how a simple ice cream was produced in the past.”

Though the exterior is a former Ice Warehouse built in the 1860's for Carlo Gatti, a famous ice cream maker, the interior has been home to the London Canal Museum for many years. Situated on Battlebridge Basin, behind Kings Cross station, along the Regent's Canal the museum gives an excellent insight into many of the inland waterways. Providing educational visits and tours, together with sight-seeing trips on the canal and meeting rooms for business events, the museum offers many things to many people.

This week, the museum celebrates the working together of IT, Archaeology and Education. With a team from University College London's Institute of Archaeology, the expertise of the museum's own in house curators and a local technology consultancy called Kollektive - the museum is able to have an archaeological dig of one of the Ice Wells, a remnant of the museum's former life as an Ice Warehouse, and educate at the same time.

Through a relationship with local ICT firm, Kollektive, the museum has been able to install temporary equipment including a Networked Video Camera to allow visiting students to experience the Well from the view of the Archaeologists. Hard hats aren't required for the students, and a room filled with educational materials and a projection of the video together with a two way communication system allows the curators to help the students explore the dig in more detail whilst watching it happen.

Using a network camera provided by Solwise and installed by local IT consulting firm Kollektive, students are able to view their instructions being carried out via the museum's local area computer network and a computer on another floor. They use radio to talk to the archaeologists. Regular snapshots from the dig are available online for you to see. The pictures are refreshed approximately from 0900 to 1700 although there will be little activity before 1045 or after 1600, or at weekends. http://media.kollektive.com/lcm/.

Designed for year 8 students, this cross curricular event includes the opportunity to meet experts in the field of archaeology, learn the techniques involved, and handle authentic artefacts. Students will discover the history of the ice trade in Victorian London and they will find out how insulation played its part.

IP Security Cameras from Solwise are ideal for remote monitoring over the Internet. They are easy to install and the web-browser based monitoring and configuration screens can be accessed from anywhere. All you need is an always-on Internet connection and a mains supply, you don't even need a PC at the camera site. IP Security Cameras can be used inside or outside (in a suitable housing) to monitor homes, offices, banks, hospitals, child-care centres, amusement parks and you can make the images public or keep them private with a password.