Vaisala celebrates 100 years of Finnish independence as part of the TechLand exhibition in Helsinki

Vaisala participates in the TechLand exhibition in the Museum of Technology in Helsinki, Finland. The exhibition is organized as a unique collaboration with Finnish technological companies. Opened in October 2017 and staying open until 2026, TechLand constitutes the museum’s new permanent exhibition and enables Vaisala to share knowledge of cleantech with new audiences.

TechLand celebrates Finnish technology, comprising part of the program for the centenary of Finland’s independence in 2017. It is the first comprehensive exhibition about the importance of technology, innovations and industry for the development of modern Finland. The history is depicted through the stories of significant technological companies that have pioneered in Finland throughout decades, Vaisala among them.

80 years of radiosondes

Vaisala’s focal point in the exhibition is the first commercial radiosonde RS11 that changed the world of weather forecasts in 1936 and won Gold Medal at the 1937 World Fair in Paris. The device enhanced the quality of weather observations at a time when reliable forecasts were difficult. The challenge was to build a device that would measure the atmosphere reliably enough while being adequately small and light to rise high enough. RS11 offered a solution, being lightweight, featuring simple construction and was able to measure all three most important parameters: temperature, pressure and humidity.

Continuing forward from RS11, Vaisala also exhibits the radiosonde RS18. Radiosonde models RS12– RS18 introduced improvements for more accurate temperature and humidity measurement in the form of double radiation shields and improved hair hygrometers, to mention some advancements.

On a more modern note, the museum visitors get to playfully measure temperature, atmospheric pressure and wind at different altitudes with the RS41, a 4th generation radiosonde. A 4-meter long pillar has a scale that goes up to 30 km, thus illustrating the measurement. The values are taken from real destinations: Jokioinen and Hong Kong.

Building the future together

The museum visitors can explore Vaisala World – the interactive 3D world summarizing the business of Vaisala in a visually enticing way. The world depicts Vaisala’s versatile business and illustrates how Vaisala’s offering has expanded, supporting Finland’s sustainable goals and striving for a cleaner and better future through technological expertise.

The theme of Finland’s centenary celebration 2017 was ‘Together’, deepening the understanding of the 100 years of independence while surveying Finland as it is now and forging a new country. Strong Together constitutes one of Vaisala’s core values as well: Vaisala employees and stakeholders together have helped to shape the 100-year-old Finland, now setting sights on the solutions for the future.

“TechLand is a great platform to highlight the significance of measurement technology for sustainability, well-being and urbanization. We can increase the public’s knowledge on cleantech and also encourage children and the youth, who usually remain outside the scope of our business,” says Vaisala CEO Kjell Forsén.

The exhibition brings Vaisala visibility in places and channels where we are not traditionally represented. Through TechLand, Vaisala is able to reach out not only to experts and technology enthusiasts but also to the museum visitors that would otherwise remain outside our professional and high-tech scope.

Other Finnish technology partners for the exhibition are ABB Oy, Boliden, Borealis Polymers Oy, Fingrid Oyj, Fiskars Oyj, Kone Oyj, KotkaMills Oy, Metso Oyj, Outokumpu Oyj and Valmet Oyj.