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Open Doors at the TestLab Mehtimäki
Tue, Oct 28
|Joensuun Areena
Time & Location
Oct 28, 2025, 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Joensuun Areena, Mehtimäenaukio 2, 80100 Joensuu, Finland
About the event
Welcome to TestLab Mehtimäki at Joensuu Areena! 🚀
During the day, you will have the opportunity to explore the new TestLab Mehtimäki in practice and experience what this unique testing environment offers to support physical activity, sports, and well-being, as well as the development of related services. You can also take part in selected testing sessions yourself – free of charge!
You can choose the part of the day’s programme that interests you most – or spend the whole day with us! Please note that talks and panel discussions are in Finnish.
The day includes:
Talks by Finland’s leading experts offering new perspectives on physical activity, well-being, and technology – including Miika Köykkä (expert at KIHU), Tommi Vasankari (Director of the UKK Institute), and Jyrki Saarinen (Head of the Department of Physics and Mathematics at the University of Eastern Finland).
Inspiring panel discussions – for example, on the use of photonics (the science of light) in sports.
Testing demonstrations with top athletes – watch, experience, and be inspired.
Opportunities to participate in testing yourself – free of charge!
You can view the detailed programme below 👇 We reserve the right to make changes to the programme.
📍The event is open to everyone and requires no registration.
SCHEDULE
SPORT TESTING: 8:00 – 11:30 (Eastern Finland Sports Institute)
See athletes in action! Mette Baas, a champion of the Finnish Athletics Championship (Kalevan Kisat) and a competitor at the Tokyo World Championships, together with Kalle Salminen, the Finnish Athletics Championship medalist, will test their skills in live demonstrations. Come and experience how top-level performance is measured and what kinds of services are available for athletes and sports clubs.
8:00 –8:30: Opening and information on athlete testing and measurement services
8:30 –9:30: Testing Demo – Speed Endurance
Athlete tested: Sprinter Mette Baas – Joensuun Kataja Sports Club
Mette Baas has risen to the top tier of Finnish sprinting. Over 400 meters, she has already collected four Finnish Athletics Championship titles, the latest in Vaasa in 2024. In recent years, she has broken long-standing regional records in the 100–400m events. Her major international competitions include three outdoor championships: two European Championships (2022 and 2024) and the World Championships in 2023.
9:30 –10:30: Testing Demo – Strength Testing
Athlete tested: Long jumper Kalle Salminen – Joensuun Kataja Sports Club
Kalle Salminen was the champion the Finnish Athletics Championship in 2022. In the summer of 2024, he jumped just one centimeter short of Jarno Kärnä’s regional record of 7.90 m. During the years, he has earned four medals, the most recent being silver in 2024. Kalle has also competed five times in the Finland–Sweden Athletics International.
10:30–11:30: Sports Testing Seminar – Best Practices for Vertical Jump Testing and Interpretation of Results
Speaker: Miika Köykkä – Expert at the Finnish Institute of High Performance Sport (KIHU), M.Sc. in Sports Science, specializing in sports biomechanics: shooting sports, javelin.
Miika is a sports professional with a focus on high-performance athletics and a Master’s degree in Sports Coaching and Fitness Testing. He currently specializes in exercise biomechanics, striving to bridge the gap between sports science and coaching practice.
LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AND MOBILE SERVICES: 12:30–14:30 (Karelia University of Applied Sciences)
12:30–12:35: Opening: Tanja Rimpilä - TestLab Mehtimäki
12:35–13:15: Keynote Speech: (content to be announced soon)
Speaker: Tommi Vasankari, Director of the UKK Institute
13:15–13:45: TARMO & Learning Environment – Presentation of Karelia’s Activities: What Does the Future Hold?
Speakers: Riikka Turunen & Juha Jalovaara - TestLab Mehtimäki
13:45–14:25: Panel Discussion – Mobile Services
Panelists:
Tommi Vasankari - Director, the UKK Institute
Tanja Rimpilä - Project Manager, Karelia UAS, the TestLab Mehtimäki project
Arja Pirhonen - Sports Instructor, Municipality of Tohmajärvi
Anniina Pietarinen, Bachelor of Gerontology Student, Karelia UAS (Intern in the Project)
Kari Hyvärinen - Executive Director, North Karelia Centre for Public Health
TECHNOLOGY, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND SPORTS: 14.40-16.00 (University of Eastern Finland)
14:30 – 14:35: Opening: Tuomas Karjalainen - Testlab Mehtimäki
14:35 – 15:00: Keynote Speech – See More: Photonics Supporting Athlete Development
Speaker: Professor Jyrki Saarinen, Director of the Institute of Photonics & Head of the Department of Physics and Mathematics, University of Eastern Finland
15:00 – 15:45: Panel Discussion – Looking Ahead: How Will New Technologies Change Sports?
Panelists:
Jyrki Saarinen, Director of the Institute of Photonics & Head of the Department of Physics and Mathematics, University of Eastern Finland
Mikko Järvilehto, Business Advisor, Business Joensuu (RDI & Startups; Investments and Location Services)
Jarno Juntunen, Physiotherapist and Entrepreneur, JuntuKunto Oy
Local Coach (to be announced)
15:45 – 16:00 : Wrap-up: Tuomas Karjalainen - Testlab Mehtimäki
FREE TESTING TRIALS AND DEMONSTRATIONS: 10:00–18:00 (non-stop)
Come and watch hands-on testing demonstrations where you can familiarise yourself with how different tests are carried out using a variety of technologies. If you wish, you can participate yourself in selected trials. Feel free to try them out and share your ideas on potential uses for the devices.
Mobile Services (Karelia University of Applied Sciences)
Baiobit – Measuring Balance, Movement, and Reaction Ability
Baiobit is a wellbeing technology device based on motion analytics that measures balance, movement, and reaction ability. It is used, for example, in balance assessments and rehabilitation for older adults. The device provides a clear report after each test session, enabling progress monitoring during the rehabilitation process. Baiobit is suitable for assessing balance and mobility across different ages and client groups, including athletes, rehabilitation clients, and neurological patients.
Optogait (5 m) – Gait and Running Analysis
The Optogait system can analyse different variables of walking and running, and can be used as part of rehabilitation or athletic training (e.g., in running analysis). The measurement length can be adjusted according to needs. During the open day, a 5-metre system will be in use.
Blazepod – Reaction Time and Coordination Testing
Blazepod is a technology device for developing reaction time and coordination. It is gamified, lightweight, and easily portable. It can be used in HIIT workouts, in improving balance and functional ability of older adults, or in testing reaction speeds among children.
Photonics Technologies (University of Eastern Finland)
Eye Tracking
Vision is an essential part of physical activity and sports. At TestLab Mehtimäki, we use eye-tracking glasses from Joensuu-based SeeTrue Technologies to measure eye movements precisely in different situations, and to train gaze targeting as part of practice. The glasses are suitable for both elite athletes and regular sports participants. Feel free to try them out. More information: https://www.testlabmehtimaki.com/uudet-teknologiat
Demos:
10:30 - 11:30 Eye tracking in golf (Karelia Golf Oy)
14:30 - 16:00 Eye trackining in archery (Joutsi Ry)
Pose tracking
To optimise movement and reduce injury risk, it is important to monitor body posture. At TestLab Mehtimäki, we use an open-source program that detects body key points from a video or image and creates a visual model of the mover. The model can be used to numerically evaluate, for example, joint angles, supporting the analysis and improvement of technical performance in sport, coaching, and physiotherapy. Join us to try and discuss the versatile possibilities of pose tracking.
More information: https://www.testlabmehtimaki.com/uudet-teknologiat
Demos:
10:30 - 11:30 Pose tracking in golf (Karelia Golf Oy)
12:30 - 13:00 Pose tracking in cycling (TesetLab Mehtimäki)
13:15 - 14:00 Pose tracking in physioteraphy
14:30 - 16:00 Pose trackining in archery (Joutsi Ry)
Immersive Neurotechnology: Galea XR Headset
How can we identify an athlete’s true level of exertion? What about concentration, recovery, or the impact of emotional states on performance? How can we detect early signs of declining motivation before they become visible in performance?
One solution to these challenges is Galea, the world’s first XR headset that combines virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), electroencephalography (EEG) measurement, and physiological body monitoring into one integrated system.
More information: https://www.testlabmehtimaki.com/uudet-teknologiat
Demo:
12:30 - 13:00 EEG measurement for monitoring an individual's workload during movement (TestLab Mehtimäki)
16:30 - 17:00 EEG measurement for monitoring an individual's workload during movement (TestLab Mehtimäki)
Speakers:
A photo carousel of event speakers will be updated.
GETTING TO THE EVENT
Entrance to the event is through the main doors between the sports field stands and the Arena. The entrance is accessible.
By walk:
Joensuu Arena is located in the Mehtimäki Sports Park area, about 1 km from Joensuu city centre, at Mehtimäenaukio 2. The arena is easily accessible on foot both from the city centre and from the Linnunlahti side.
By car:
For visitors arriving by car, there are several parking options, such as:
Kenttämiehentie parking area (closest to the Arena)
University of Eastern Finland parking areas
Hallitie parking facility next to the Joensuu Ice Hall
Please note that some parking spaces in the surrounding area may be subject to a fee.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
This event is part of the Mehtimäki Well-being and Sports Testing Facility – New Business, Services, and Entrepreneurship project package, co-funded by the European Union’s Just Transition Fund.
Photos will be taken at the event for project communications.
Please contact us if you have any questions regarding the event or the TestLab Mehtimäki project:
Tuomas Karjainen
Project Manager / TestLab Mehtimäki
City of Joensuu
050 301 6241