Vaisala's WM80 Ultrasonic Wind Sensor has been honoured with an iF Design Award in the Product Design discipline, Industry category. This is the first iF Design Award for a Vaisala product, and a distinction for a weather measurement device. The award recognises that the sensor’s performance-driven design stands among the best in the world.
Accurate, continuous wind data is critical in demanding environments. WM80 is designed to withstand harsh conditions and to keep measuring precisely through them. Its measurement technology is built for the conditions where reliable wind data matters, such as in renewable energy and maritime operations, where a lack of data or inaccurate data have significant consequences.
The WM80 ultrasonic wind sensor earned the iF Design Award in recognition of a clear design philosophy: every feature is there for a reason. Each element of the sensor's form is engineered to withstand the demands of real-world operating environments. The award confirms that outstanding design happens when technology, user needs and visual design come together.
Cross-functional expertise
Achieving this level of functional design required cross-functional collaboration. Teams across the organisation, including designers, engineers, scientists and product management, worked closely together, ensuring that performance and reliability remained at the core of every decision. Equally important was the role of customers throughout the development process. WM80 was co-created with users, with their experiences and needs directly shaping the product's form, usability, and resilience.
One example of cross-functional expertise is the design of the signal-focusing reflectors. This patent-pending reflector design strengthens the ultrasonic signal by focusing it towards the transducers and maintains optimal focus even as the wind speed changes, under all weather conditions. It demonstrates how close collaboration between disciplines can elevate performance.
"We are very proud that WM80 has been recognised with an iF Design Award. This reflects the core philosophy behind the product: that great design is not about appearances. Every feature in the WM80 serves a purpose, and that is the result of genuine teamwork and building the product around what our customers encounter in the field," says Aino Oikari, Product Manager at Vaisala.
About the iF Design Award
Founded in 1954, the iF Design Award is one of the world’s most recognised benchmarks of design excellence: an internationally established symbol of outstanding design achievement. It honours design achievements in all disciplines: product, packaging, branding & communication, service design, architecture and interior architecture, user experience (UX), user interface (UI) and concepts. All award-winning entries are presented on ifdesign.com.
For more information visit: www.vaisala.com/en/
In South Africa, Vaisala is represented by its authorised partner, Cicero Tech, visit: https://cicero-tech.co.za/
