Interview with Jarno Mitjonen about Vaisala Echo: Innovating the future of measurement with data and AI
Vaisala recently launched Echo, a measurement infrastructure revolutionizing data connectivity. By seamlessly linking all data points from the monitored process, Echo provides quick and efficient access to critical insights, enabling businesses to focus on their core work while embracing cutting-edge technology.
To uncover what sets Echo apart, we spoke with Jarno Mitjonen, Vaisala’s Software Product Manager and a key figure in Echo’s development.
What is Echo?
Echo simplifies how Vaisala devices connect to the cloud and monitoring systems.
“Echo helps also smaller companies leverage modern, secure monitoring infrastructure without building their own cloud systems or commissioning custom projects,” Jarno explains. Its turnkey design unlocks valuable insights with minimal effort.
Echo’s platform handles and analyzes vast data across industries. “The first step is making all measurement data collected by Vaisala devices easily and securely accessible,” says Jarno. Echo connects real-time data from Vaisala products, handling vast amounts of information while ensuring integrity and consistency through efficient and customer-friendly processing.
For instance, in the food industry, Echo could be used to streamline data collection needed for reporting the storage conditions of manufactured goods. All data is stored automatically and reliably by the monitoring system and can be accessed anytime, locally, or remotely. With its alerting features, users can take timely actions to prevent the loss of valuable stock, sometimes worth hundreds of thousands of euros or more.
AI, ML, and the future of measurement
The future of measurement looks busy for Vaisala. “Next, with Echo, we’re building analytics capabilities to enable proactive problem-solving,” Jarno says. By consolidating data from various sources into a single reliable system, Echo lays the foundation for advanced analytics driven by artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML).
One challenge? Ensuring reliable data. “The reliability and accuracy of AI models depend on properly labeled data. We will, for example, encourage customers to tag measurements with details about location and type, which increases their value for training models,” Jarno explains.
By connecting data across industries and ensuring its integrity, Echo empowers smarter decision-making and the development of predictive solutions. Its ability to process and structure large datasets with precision and consistency makes it a valuable tool in unlocking new possibilities in AI and ML applications.
A creative and collaborative journey
Echo’s development highlights the importance of people behind it. “I’m very proud of how we’ve advanced toward a modular and platform-based way of working in our development,” Jarno shares. “It increases our speed and significantly reduces time-to-market, enabling us to provide solutions to customers faster and giving us more time to concentrate on solving their exact problems.”
Behind Echo is a story of collaboration and innovation. “We established an IoT team to help product teams develop cloud connectivity. The team created reusable software components and microservices, reducing development time and effort for both device and cloud application teams,” Jarno adds.
Also the name, Echo, highlights Vaisala’s collaborative culture. “Curiosity and a willingness to explore new possibilities are at the heart of what we do,” Jarno shares. Being curious is strongly encouraged at Vaisala, and in Echo development journey, it was particularly evident. “Teams quickly adopted new technologies, making the process both challenging and fun,” Jarno explains.
Looking ahead
Echo measurement infrastructure is just the beginning. As Vaisala continues to develop the platform, it will play a pivotal role in the company’s industrial offering, enabling smarter solutions and expanding its impact.
“Echo offers a foundation for exploring AI and ML in ways that reduce complexity for customers,” Jarno says. The platform’s future-proof capabilities promise to make advanced monitoring accessible across industries, empowering businesses to make better, data-driven decisions. The journey, however, also depends on expertise in AI and ML. “We need experts who understand AI and ML and can guide us in promising directions,” Jarno shares.
Want to join us?
Jarno’s journey with Echo highlights Vaisala’s commitment to innovation and people. From creating groundbreaking solutions to fostering curiosity and growth, we aim to cultivate a dynamic environment that attracts top talent.
Whether you are passionate about sustainability, intrigued by AI or ML, or excited to tackle complex real-world challenges, Vaisala offers opportunities to make an impact.
