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From Smartphone to Connected Intelligence
The PING.Tampere brings together technology experts, companies and visionaries globally to explore next dominant technologies, such as physical AI and interactive machines.
See you in Tampere on March 20, 2026!
The PING.Tampere event brings together technology experts, companies, and visionaries globally, as well as students, to explore what could be the next dominant technology and competence area to drive Finland’s future growth.
The theme of the event is technological convergence, especially physical AI.
Learning, connected and interactive machines have the potential to reshape future industries, defense systems, and smart cities.
The event also marks the 30th anniversary of the Nokia Communicator – a groundbreaking device that pioneered key technologies and played a pivotal role in launching the global smartphone era. The event program will feature inspiring talks on the history of the Nokia Communicator and its impact on technological development, company presentations on future intelligent machines, components of physical AI, and interaction technologies.
8:30 Registration and coffee, Demos of Physical AI on display 9:00 Opening and Welcome – Keijo Hämäläinen, President (Rector) of the Tampere University 9:05 Keynote: Exploring Growth in Physical AI, Chips and Connectivity in Finland’s Strategic Innovation Landscape – Sakari Puisto, Minister of Economic Affairs, The Finns Party, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment 9:20 Keynote: Technological Convergence and Cross-Border Development as a Growth Engine – Andrea G. Rodríguez, Director of Quantum Technologies, ADIGITAL 9:40 Keynote: The History of the Communicator and Lessons for Today – Reijo Paajanen, CEO, Prinnox Oy 10:00 Break 10:30 Shaping the Desired Future – Kalle Kantola, Vice president, Foresight and Data Economy, VTT 10:45 Intelligent Machines of the Future – Jani Vilenius, Director Technology Development and Services, Sandvik 11:00 NestAI – Building Next-Generation Physical AI for Europe’s Security – Matti Räty, Head of Platform, NestAI 11:15 Partner Company Presentation: TBA 11:30 Panel Discussion: Where Do Dominant Designs for Physical AI Originate & How Can Finland and Tampere Develop into a Hub for the Era of Interactive Machines?
Panel moderated by Dean, Professor Marko Seppänen, Tampere University and joined by event speakers. 12:25 Summary – Kirsi Kokko, Head of Program, Defense and Digital Resilience, Business Finland 12:30 Event ends
Jani Vilenius Director Technology Development and Services, Sandvik
Reijo Paajanen, CEO, Prinnox Oy
Andrea G. Rodríguez Director of Quantum Technologies, ADIGITAL
Kalle Kantola Vice president, Foresight and Data Economy, VTT
Petteri Hemminki Director, Finnish Defence Artificial Intelligence Center of Excellence
Matti Räty Head of Platform, NestAI
Sakari Puisto Minister of Economic Affairs, The Finns Party, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment
Picture: Lauri Heikkinen, valtioneuvoston kanslia
Kirsi Kokko Head of Program, Defense and Digital Resilience, Business Finland
Robodog Spot and friends
Description: Experience and interact with zoomorphic (animal-like) robots from Tampere University Robostudio. These robotic pets seek for constant attention, so come and play with them, pet them, and have fun!
Autonomous Mobile Machines
Description: Practically relevant, theoretically solid, we build future of the autonomous mobile working machines. From sensor fusion to safe decision making for navigation and material handling. Convergence of classical and learning based approaches.
The AIRSHIP project
Description: The AIRSHIP project develops autonomous, all‑electric wing‑in‑ground‑effect vehicles (“flying ships”) to provide fast, energy‑efficient transport across inland waters and archipelagos. It focuses on new technologies in zero‑emission power systems, autonomous control, on-board AI and WIG‑vehicle aerodynamics to create a new class of unmanned vehicles.
The Carbon Neutral Hybrid Fishing Vessel project
Description: The Carbon Neutral Hybrid Fishing Vessel project
develops a cost‑effective, low‑emission hybrid fishing vessel prototype that combines an electric hybrid powertrain and a carbon‑neutral energy source with AI-enhanced operation and maintenance for commercial inland and coastal fisheries. Its goal is to significantly reduce CO₂ emissions and improve energy efficiency through a multidisciplinary research approach
The Drone Detection Mesh
Description: The Drone Detection Mesh consists of ultra‑low‑power sensor nodes that run TinyML‑based AI models directly on inexpensive microcontrollers, enabling real‑time acoustic classification without cloud connectivity. By analyzing sound signatures, the sensor nodes can detect, identify and localize drones, forming a scalable and cost‑efficient distributed sensor network.
Crispy: A Lightweight XR Display Technology That Provides Visual Comfort and Immersion
Description: The Crispy technology integrates state of the art machine learning with innovative, nanofabricated, thin form factor diffractive optical elements to overcome key limitations in current extended reality (XR) display systems. It enables a visually comfortable and immersive viewing experience in a lightweight form factor.
5G teleoperation of electrical wheel loader
Description: A teleoperation station from Centre for Immersive Visual Technologies is brought on-site, providing a steering wheel and joystick controls for the operator. At the Hervanta campus, an electric wheel loader, customized for digital control by the Autonomous Mobile Machines Group, is equipped with cameras and sensors and connected to the teleoperation station through a 5G network, allowing the visitor to remotely drive and operate the real machine. The end-to-end teleoperation software system was developed in various 3D Media Group research projects and is now being commercialized by Operview, a spinoff company from Tampere University.
Conversational Social Robot – Furhat
Description: This demo uses the Conversational Social Robot – Furhat for interacting with the user. The visitors can interact with the robot through speech (currently in English), and ask questions related to study options offered by Tampere University. Through spoken interactions, visitors can obtain program specific information, and other details about the program. The robot is also capable of interacting with multiple visitors simultaneously. The demo uses integrating with Large Language Model to create dialogs.
You can find more information how to arrive to the event location at Tampere University website
Register to the event by March 13th , 2026.
Senior Director, Chips from Tampere
+358 40 7723 008
petri.rasanen@businesstampere.com
Event Coordinator
+358 40 3587 672
alisa.kasari@businesstampere.com