Vaisala's WM80 Ultrasonic Wind Sensor wins prestigious iF Design Award 2026
Vaisala's WM80 Ultrasonic Wind Sensor has been honored with an iF Design Award 2026 in the Product Design discipline, Industry category. This is the first iF Design Award for a Vaisala product, and a rare distinction for a weather measurement device. It is a recognition that performance-driven design stands among the best in the world.
WM80: Design driven by performance and reliability
Accurate, continuous wind data is critical in demanding environments. WM80 is designed not only to withstand harsh conditions but to keep measuring precisely through them. Its measurement technology is built for the conditions where reliable wind data matters most, such as renewable energy and maritime operations, where lack of data or inaccuracy has real consequences.
WM80 earned the recognition through a clear design philosophy: every feature exists for a reason. Each element of the sensor's form is engineered to withstand the demands of real-world operating environments. The award demonstrates that outstanding design happens when technology, user needs and visual design come together.
Cross-functional expertise behind the product
Achieving this level of functional design required deep cross-functional collaboration. Teams across the organization, 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 real-world experiences and needs directly shaping the product's form, usability, and resilience.
One concrete 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 toward the transducers and maintains optimal focus even as the wind speed changes, under all weather conditions, demonstrating how close collaboration between disciplines can elevate performance to the next level.
Reflector is a fundamental part of the product design
"We are very proud that WM80 has been recognized 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 actually 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 recognized benchmarks of design excellence: an internationally established symbol of outstanding design achievement. It honors 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, please visit the iF Design website: https://ifdesign.com/en/winner-ranking/project/vaisala-ultrasonic-wind-sensor-wm80/749349
Learn more about the WM80 Ultrasonic Wind Sensor: https://www.vaisala.com/en/products/ultrasonic-wind-sensor-wm80
About Vaisala
Vaisala is a global leader in measurement instruments and intelligence for climate action. We equip our customers with devices and data to improve resource efficiency, drive energy transition, and care for the safety and well-being of people and societies worldwide. With over 90 years of innovation and expertise, we employ a team of close to 2,500 experts committed to taking every measure for the planet. Vaisala series A shares are listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki stock exchange.
www.vaisala.com