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Physical Measurement Laboratory

News and Updates

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Recorded Webinars for Weights and Measures Available On-Demand!

June 26, 2024

Webinar training has emerged as a powerful tool for delivering flexible, accessible, and cost-effective educational content to the weights and measures

weight measure on the electronic balance

Considerations for Class II Scale Applications

June 26, 2024

For several years, there has been an increase in the use of Class II scales in commercial applications. Previously relegated to pharmacies, jewelry stores, and

nelka Jagoda, Metric (SI) Spring 2024 Montgomery College Intern

Welcome Back to OWM, Dinelka

June 12, 2024

The Office of Weights and Measures (OWM) is happy to welcome back Dinelka Jagoda, who is serving as a 2024 Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship ( SURF)

A person in a black shirt works on a mechanical device in a lab setting.

NIST Brings Mass Measurement to the Masses

June 12, 2024

NIST has delivered a portable and highly accurate instrument for measuring mass to the U.S. Army, marking the first time in the U.S. that this technology is

With Some Bumps, NIST Scientists Devise a Novel Way to Extend the Wavelength Range of Microcombs

June 5, 2024

Microcombs – chip-scale devices that generate and measure frequencies of light with exquisite accuracy – have transformed timekeeping and boosted optical

A photo of the night sky with greenish lights on the right.

Spotlight: Geomagnetic Storm Creates Bright Northern Lights While Also Affecting NIST’s Cesium Clocks

May 21, 2024

Did you see the northern lights recently? NIST’s cesium fountain clocks did.

20 May 2024 is World Metrology Day

May 16, 2024

The theme for the 2024 World Metrology Day (on May 20) is "Sustainability," which raises awareness of the need for accurate measurements in the development of a

The UK to recognize CE-marked weighing and measuring instruments

May 1, 2024

Before Brexit when the United Kingdom (UK) was still part of the European Union (EU), products placed on the UK market were required to comply with the EU

The Big Quantum Chill: NIST Scientists Modify Common Lab Refrigerator to Cool Faster With Less Energy

April 23, 2024

By modifying a refrigerator commonly used in both research and industry, researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have

Moonlight Measurement on a Hawaiian Volcano

April 22, 2024

For several years, a team of researchers from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has been building a robotically operated moonlight

Scientist working at scientific equipment

Spotlight: The Real-World Applications of Quantum With Julia Scherschligt

April 15, 2024

For NIST physicist Julia Scherschligt, the most exciting thing about quantum is seeing the real-world applications of this science. Julia leads a group that is

Tiny red cylinder probes are presented in front of a much larger ice cube.

Spotlight: Shape-Shifting Probes Will Help Improve MRI Imaging

April 12, 2024

Not all gems are the precious stone kind. In the field of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), a type of microscopic magnetic probes called geometrically encoded

Illustration shows tiny columns of light in different colors standing vertically along circuits on a chip.

Spotlight: Chip-Scale Frequency Combs Can Be Integrated With Other Sensors

April 2, 2024

Frequency combs — specialized lasers that act like rulers to measure light — are now being brought down to a low-power, chip-scale form. NIST researchers David

NIST Special Publication on WIM Systems Used in Law Enforcement Applications

April 1, 2024

Introduction According to the 2021 Fact Sheet: The Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal, one in five miles of U.S. highways and major roads and over 45,000 bridges

Witness Testing in Official Weights and Measures Inspections

April 1, 2024

Weights and measures inspections provide a legally required, independent validation of the accuracy of commercial weighing and measuring devices; provide a

NIST Researchers Use Cellphone Compass to Measure Tiny Concentrations of Compounds Important for Human Health

April 1, 2024

Nearly every modern cellphone has a built-in compass, or magnetometer, that detects the direction of Earth’s magnetic field, providing critical information for

Fun and Games: Teach and Learn Measurement System Basics with the SI Units Card Deck

April 1, 2024

It’s easy to learn the metric system with the SI Units Card Deck (NIST SP 1297), an interactive educational activity that helps learners build their skills

OWM Welcomes New Associate for Spring 2024 Internship

April 1, 2024

The Office of Weights and Measures (OWM) welcomes Maryanne Amanze, spring Professional Research Experience Program (PREP) intern. Maryanne is currently in her

Bullseye! NIST Devises a Method to Accurately Center Quantum Dots Within Photonic Chips

March 18, 2024

Devices that capture the brilliant light from millions of quantum dots, including chip-scale lasers and optical amplifiers, have made the transition from

Researchers develop a new type of frequency comb that promises to further boost the accuracy of time keeping

March 14, 2024

Chip-based devices known as frequency combs, which measure the frequency of light waves with unparalleled precision, have revolutionized time keeping, the

Shrinking Technology, Expanding Horizons: Compact Chips Advance Precision Timing for Communications, Navigation and Other Applications

March 6, 2024

This technology shrinks a tabletop system into a chip-sized format, reducing power usage and making it more applicable for use in everyday devices.

Physical Measurement Laboratory

News and Updates

Recorded Webinars for Weights and Measures Available On-Demand!

Considerations for Class II Scale Applications

Welcome Back to OWM, Dinelka

NIST Brings Mass Measurement to the Masses

With Some Bumps, NIST Scientists Devise a Novel Way to Extend the Wavelength Range of Microcombs

Spotlight: Geomagnetic Storm Creates Bright Northern Lights While Also Affecting NIST’s Cesium Clocks

20 May 2024 is World Metrology Day

The UK to recognize CE-marked weighing and measuring instruments

The Big Quantum Chill: NIST Scientists Modify Common Lab Refrigerator to Cool Faster With Less Energy

Moonlight Measurement on a Hawaiian Volcano

Spotlight: The Real-World Applications of Quantum With Julia Scherschligt

Spotlight: Shape-Shifting Probes Will Help Improve MRI Imaging

Spotlight: Chip-Scale Frequency Combs Can Be Integrated With Other Sensors

NIST Special Publication on WIM Systems Used in Law Enforcement Applications

Witness Testing in Official Weights and Measures Inspections

NIST Researchers Use Cellphone Compass to Measure Tiny Concentrations of Compounds Important for Human Health

Fun and Games: Teach and Learn Measurement System Basics with the SI Units Card Deck

OWM Welcomes New Associate for Spring 2024 Internship

Bullseye! NIST Devises a Method to Accurately Center Quantum Dots Within Photonic Chips

Researchers develop a new type of frequency comb that promises to further boost the accuracy of time keeping

Shrinking Technology, Expanding Horizons: Compact Chips Advance Precision Timing for Communications, Navigation and Other Applications

NIST Physicist Sae Woo Nam, Pioneer in Single-Photon Detectors, Passes Away

NIST-Led Working Group Developing Standards for Organ-on-a-Chip Research

Scientists Observe Long-Predicted Superconductor Property Using a Quantum Simulator

Heart-on-a-Chip: A Microfluidic Marvel Shaping the Future of Cardiovascular Research

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