The
design of the tower raised several technological challenges as it is a
unique and unusual concept for which there is no other model elsewhere
and therefore no established standards.
The tower reproduces the movement of the local tide for any specific
site in the world with the same accuracy as a tide table. All this is
controlled by a microcomputer and customized software.
The seven
different levels of blue lights
encased in the tower each represent one-seventh of the water level
between low tide and high tide. They gradually light up after each
ascending real tide cycle, then extinguish themselves during the rising
tidal cycle. The current level, wherever it is, flashes
slowly. These seven levels equal in terms
of water
level are not equal in terms of duration as the tide rises more slowly
from low tide, accelerates in mid-cycle and slows again before reaching
high tide.
During the process, upper and lower arrows indicate whether the tide is
rising (the flood) or descending (the ebb tide).
During the first five minutes of the high tide mark, the same point as
the tide tables, the arrows are turned off and all blue level lights
are on and flashing. Conversely, during the first 5 minutes of low
tide, only the blue lower level remains lit continuously while the
arrows are out.
A speaker emits the sound of a deck bell to mark the beginning of the
high tide (2 brief rings) and the beginning of the low tide (1 brief
ring)
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Here
is a representation of how the Tide Tower function
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Summary of the Tide Tower
operation
- 7 levels of lights switched on and off
gradually to the rhythm of the tide
- Flashing arrows pointing up and down to
indicate the direction of the tide (rising or descending)
- A ringing sound heard at high tide and
low tide to add a auditory dimension to the Tide Tower
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