NIKOS – Festumzug

Crowd Management for the Cologne Carnival

autonomous reliable cost-effective

NIKOS is not a conventional PA system, but a radio-based public address, alarm and control system for large events, construction sites and crisis situations, which you can rent by the day through certified partners and either integrate into your PA or use on its own.

Challenge

Targeted communication with mobile hotspots along the parade route

At the Cologne Carnival, the heaviest crowds do not gather at a single fixed point but shift along the parade route and between changing hotspots. Dense crowds, visitors under the influence of alcohol and the independent mobile PA systems on the floats make it difficult to deliver clear, consistent announcements quickly. Even when mobile phone networks are overloaded, warnings and crowd guidance information must still be clearly understood at the relevant locations.

Solution

One unified solution for everyday use and emergencies

Announcements, system monitoring, crowd management and device control come together with NIKOS in a single platform independent of the public network. Along the parade route, radio-based units can be deployed quickly wherever visitors need to be guided or informed. NIKOS [dispatcher]² controls the announcement units as required for individual announcement locations, specific areas or the entire site; NIKOS [audio]² receives the voice transmission by radio on site and outputs it as an analogue audio signal through the mobile PA systems on the floats. This keeps communication centrally controllable and clearly aligned with the operational requirements.

FAQ

Information for planners and organisers

Do NIKOS announcements meet the relevant standard requirements?+
Yes, NIKOS fully meets DIN EN 50849 "Electroacoustic Emergency Warning Systems". The system was specifically designed for safety-relevant announcements and alerting and is technically built for both everyday and emergency use. DIN EN 50849 is the relevant standard for radio-based ELA systems such as NIKOS. Because NIKOS, unlike mobile network-based systems, operates independently of an external network, immediate usability is guaranteed at all times — fully meeting the standard's requirements as a result. Other safety-related standards such as DIN EN 54, DIN VDE 0833-4 and DIN 14675 (voice alarm systems), by contrast, do not apply to NIKOS, as they concern a different field of use and functional scope and are therefore not relevant to NIKOS's deployment. As the only public address system for temporary and mobile applications consistently designed around the demands of mission-critical use, NIKOS has been used successfully for crisis-proof communication tasks since 2017. RADACOM and your regional NIKOS partner will be happy to advise you on the wide range of NIKOS functions and support you in implementing the requirements cost-effectively.
Where does NIKOS provide cost benefits?+
For crowd management at the Cologne Carnival, cost benefits result from the reduced need for additional technology and the lower effort required for setup and operation. This means that NIKOS rental and installation costs can quickly be offset. Particularly for temporary, time-limited events, this noticeably reduces the costs of planning, setting up and operating safety technology.
Does crowd management at the Cologne Carnival remain operational in the event of network failures?+
Yes. NIKOS operates via its own autonomous radio network and independently of public communications networks. NIKOS [audio]² has an internal battery providing up to 16 hours of operating time and also powers connected accessory modules. This means that crowd management at the Cologne Carnival remains reliably operational even in the event of a power failure or disruptions to public communications networks.
How can announcements be heard over loud brass-band music?+
When brass-band music is loud, NIKOS [flash]² uses a flashing light to signal to the conductor, bandleader or DJ that the music must be stopped immediately. In response to the light signal, the performance is interrupted so that announcements can be understood clearly. This ensures that important announcements reliably reach the audience even in crowded festival areas and during parades.
Crowd Management for the Cologne Carnival: Where can NIKOS be rented?+
NIKOS is rented by the day through certified partners, including advice, instruction and technical support. Your regional partner coordinates the deployment with you. Find a partner and request a rental

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