Axon, a global leader in connected law enforcement technologies, today announced the addition of a new imaging engineering team led by industry expert Juha Alakarhu. The team is working from Axon's new research and development office based in Tampere, Finland. This group will focus on enhancing the capabilities of Axon's future wearable and in-car cameras and developing a platform for future advancements that leverage Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR) and Artificial Intelligence (AI).

“We are thrilled to bring this talented group of imaging engineers on board,” says Axon CEO and founder Rick Smith. “We never stop trying to improve upon the technology we produce for our customers. We know this team will take it to another level, creating next generation breakthroughs for our body-worn and in-car cameras.”

Alakarhu, a well-known imaging technology visionary, has been instrumental in imaging breakthroughs over the last 14 years with the development of several industry-first technologies in smartphones and VR. With experience leading camera technology teams at Nokia and Microsoft, he most recently led imaging for Nokia's OZO team in Finland. Alakarhu has been responsible for end-to-end imaging including physical components, imaging algorithms and architecture.

“For the last decade, our team has revolutionized the imaging industry, and the revolution will continue at Axon,” says Alakarhu, Axon's VP of Imaging. “The team and I are excited for the opportunity to apply our skills to help ensure Axon can deliver the highest quality cameras to law enforcement across the world.”

Alakarhu will lead his team of software and hardware engineers with whom he has worked on multiple projects over the last eight-to-ten years. Together, they have developed several pioneering imaging solutions including oversampling (the 41 megapixel smartphones Nokia 808 and Lumia 1020), optical image stabilization, proprietary image signal processing, iris scanning and professional VR imaging systems. The team spearheaded the imaging development of Nokia's OZO, the leading professional VR camera which is able to record seamless stereoscopic 360-degree video, using eight synchronized one-inch 195-degree global shutter cameras.

Business Tampere, a regional economic development agency, worked closely with Axon to help support the team's on-boarding and the new Axon office opening.