Energetics conducted an extensive international survey for the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the International Electro-technical Commission (IEC). We surveyed 22 member countries to evaluate standards needed for emerging nano-electrotechnologies in eight product fields, from medicine to consumer electronics.
Client Need
Measurement and standards play a key role in the field of nanotechnology, particularly in its use for electrotechnology. Global standardization for electronic materials and interfaces is critical to product interchangeability, development, marketing, deployment, and use. NIST and the IEC determined that there was a need to conduct a survey to understand global standards development needs for emerging nano-electrotechnologies and to ensure the timely implementation of priority standards.
Solution
Energetics assisted NIST and IEC by developing and hosting the survey and analyzing the results. Working with the IEC Technical Committee and NIST, we developed protocols and a survey design that would elicit unbiased responses while revealing individual country preferences and priorities. The multi-tiered survey covered specific product lines as well as functional queries (disciplines required, focus of standards, etc.).
Results
The survey and subsequent report have been published worldwide and are now guiding the planning decisions of the IEC and its committees on nano-electrotechnologies. It is expected that the IEC will begin standards development based on the survey priorities. Priorities for Standards and Measurements to Accelerate Innovations in Nano-electrotechnologies: Analysis of the NIST-Energetics-IEC TC 113 Survey was published in the NIST Journal of Research, Volume 114, Issue 2, March-April 2009.