NIST

An agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce

Founded in 1901, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is a nonregulatory federal agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce. With headquarters in Gaithersburg, Maryland, NIST’s mission is to promote U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards, and technology in ways that enhance economic security and improve our quality of life.

Tue, 03/24/2015 - 10:31
Helping Laser Scanners Measure UpNew method for rapidly providing highly calibrated standards
Wed, 05/27/2020 - 12:01
Scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have devised a novel, accurate, easy-to-operate, time- and labor-saving way to provide calibrated scale-bar standards for testing the performance of terrestrial laser scanner (…
NIST Study Uncovers a Potential Driver of Premature Solar Panel FailuresThe suspect, acetic acid, interacts harmfully with panels’ polyamide-based backsheets
Wed, 04/08/2020 - 12:01
Unlike diamonds, solar panels are not forever. Ultraviolet rays, gusts of wind, and heavy rain wear away at them over their lifetime.  Manufacturers typically guarantee that panels will endure the elements for at least 25 years before experiencing…
Trustworthy AIA conversation with NIST’s Chuck Romine
Wed, 02/19/2020 - 12:03
Artificial intelligence (AI) promises to grow the economy and improve our lives, but along with these benefits, it also brings new risks that society is grappling with. How can we be sure this new technology is not just innovative and helpful, but…
To Measure Bias in Data, NIST Initiates ‘Fair Ranking’ Research EffortNew initiative has long-term goal of making search technology more even-handed
Wed, 12/18/2019 - 12:02
A new research effort at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) aims to address a pervasive issue in our data-driven society: a lack of fairness that sometimes turns up in the answers we get from information retrieval software. A…
Six Healthcare, Nonprofit, and Education Organizations Win Baldrige AwardsAwards to be presented March 24, 2020, at the Quest for Excellence Conference, in National Harbor, MD
Mon, 11/25/2019 - 12:00
The U.S. Department of Commerce announced today that six organizations will be presented with the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. Baldrige is the nation’s only presidential award for performance excellence, recognizing U.S. organizations…
Avoiding the Crack of DoomNew imaging technique reveals how mechanical damage begins at the molecular scale
Wed, 11/13/2019 - 12:02
Just as a journey of 1,000 miles begins with a single step, the deformations and fractures that cause catastrophic failure in materials begin with a few molecules torn out of place. This in turn leads to a cascade of damage at increasingly larger…
Precise Temperature Measurements With Invisible LightNovel infrared thermometer offers dramatically improved performance
Wed, 07/10/2019 - 12:01
Ordinarily, you won’t encounter a radiation thermometer until somebody puts one in your ear at the doctor’s office, or you point one at your forehead when you’re feeling feverish. But more sophisticated and highly calibrated, research-grade “…
Mini Toolkit for MeasurementsNew NIST chip hints at quantum sensors of the future
Thu, 05/23/2019 - 21:22
(NIST: Gaithersburg, MD) -- Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have created a chip on which laser light interacts with a tiny cloud of atoms to serve as a miniature toolkit for measuring important quantities,…
NIST Announces 2019 Opportunities for Small Businesses Process concerns technology feasibility, commercial potential, and transition to marketplace

Wed, 04/10/2019 - 12:00
(NIST: Gaithersburg, MD) -- The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), a nonregulatory agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce, has announced the fiscal year 2019 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I Notice of Funding…
New X-ray Measurement Approach Could Improve CT ScannersBetter calibration could make diagnosis more efficient and less costly
Wed, 04/03/2019 - 12:01
A new measurement approach proposed by scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) could lead to a better way to calibrate computed tomography (CT) scanners, potentially streamlining patient treatment by improving…