I started at Optomed 10 years ago. First I worked as an external consultant when they were just finishing the first camera model. I liked the working atmosphere and the product so when there was an open position I joined the company.

Optomed provides a rare opportunity to work with the entire technology stack that goes to a device: optics, electronics, mechanics and software. All are designed under one roof. With embedded SW, it is very rewarding to almost immediately see the results of your work come alive in a tangible object. People at Optomed are capable, motivated and enthusiastic, it’s a bit contagious. It’s also nice to remember how Optomed products make a difference in the world, preventing blindness by providing affordable equipment for screening of eye diseases.

After graduating from Oulu University with biophysics as a major, I worked 3 years at Upstream Engineering, a company specialized in optical design. There I did various kinds of optical, software and electrical engineering work, even some mechanical design. My last assignment was a consultation stint at Optomed to improve the camera image quality. Then I joined Optomed ranks. Here I’ve focused mainly on embedded SW, image sensors and image processing, but I’ve also been involved in optics, electronics, and mechanical design. Occasionally I also do some project managing.

I like to spend my holidays in the mountains, often in northern Norway, about 10 hours’ drive from Oulu. I do freeride skiing and ice climbing in winter and rock climbing in the summertime. My evenings revolve around gym and climbing training, along with house and garden chores. I’ve gotten a bit into kitesurfing, too. Oulu provides great opportunities for it with frequent winds, the shallow sandy coastline in the summer and powder snow-covered sea ice in the winter. Cooking and reading are my relaxed pleasures. Every now and then I get carried away by some personal software tinkering project.

Juha Lipponen,
Chief Architect

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