National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

In our connected world, information systems must agree on at least one thing to operate properly: the time. This is particularly useful for network-distributed applications such as the Internet of Things and for tracing failures in communications networks. NIST provides official U.S. time over the internet so that users and customers can have a traceable, unbiased reference. The best part is that a time request is quick, easy and free for everyone. No wonder the NIST Network Time Service receives approximately 1 million web requests per second, which makes it the most requested service provided by the U.S. government. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/dYDsqmW

NIST engineer Marc Levitan has been fascinated with windstorms ever since he grew up in Pennsylvania. Combining his fascination with tornadoes with his interest in building construction, he has helped develop ways to make buildings much more resilient to the effects of these deadly windstorms. On July 28, join us in person or online to hear his insights about: 🌪️ How tornadoes are unique and their impacts on buildings. 🌪️ The design of tornado shelters and safe rooms to provide protection from the most intense twisters. 🌪️ New building code requirements for tornado-resistant design of schools, hospitals, and other critical facilities. Register here: https://lnkd.in/e8P2XqRW

NIST Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) has released a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the NIST MEP Center State Competition FY2026. NIST MEP is seeking applications from eligible organizations to enter into a cooperative agreement to operate MEP Centers in Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, California, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Missouri, Montana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Utah, and Vermont. These MEP Centers will strengthen manufacturing ecosystems by encouraging the adoption or scale-up of advanced technologies to improve production capacity and capability, supporting supply chain integration, and developing a strong manufacturing workforce. They will also become part of the MEP National Network, which comprises MEP Centers across the U.S., with nearly 1,400 trusted manufacturing advisors and experts at more than 450 MEP service locations. NIST MEP will host an informational webinar on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, at 1 p.m. ET. The webinar will provide general information about this NOFO and offer guidance on application preparation. Learn more at: https://lnkd.in/eCE_sWbc

Built inside a four-story stairwell, NIST’s Z-Axis Test Facility might leave you with the strange feeling that something is watching you. That’s because there is: a motion capture system of 50 cameras. Together, they continuously track movement with sub-centimeter accuracy. Researchers use this facility to test and validate indoor localization technologies that determine a person’s location in three dimensions: the x-, y-, and z-axis. The z-axis represents vertical position, such as what floor a person is on inside a building. GPS often struggles to determine this coordinate accurately, especially indoors. To help close that gap, the facility provides a controlled, multi-story environment where researchers can validate their Z-axis localization technologies against highly accurate data from the motion capture system. Through grounded data and rigorous measurements, the Z-Axis Test Facility is helping improve technologies that will support public safety communications and bring indoor localization capabilities to first responders.

Humans have pairs of eyes, ears and nostrils so we can better understand the world around us. A NIST researcher was inspired by this concept to look at molecules from two different perspectives. His goal is to better understand molecules in hopes of finding breakthroughs in medical treatments — including detecting early warning signs of cancer. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/ecFiC-NE #MolecularChriality #Molecules

Semiconductors are materials that control electricity and light. Manufacturers use them to make microchips that power cutting-edge technologies. The most common semiconductor is made of just one chemical element: silicon. But they can also be made from multiple elements, known as compound semiconductors, depending on their function. For example, semiconductors made from gallium and arsenic are great for solar cells, which convert direct sunlight into electricity. Did you know that NIST has a standard reference material (SRM) for compound semiconductors? The semiconductor thin film material, aka SRM 2841, consists of a layer of aluminum gallium arsenide (AlGaAs) that’s three millionths of a meter thick on top of a wafer (made from GaAs) that’s 1 cm by 1 cm, or about the size of a fingernail. The SRM is particularly useful for improving technologies made with AlGaAs semiconductors, such as wireless and fiber-optic communications. Manufacturers make semiconductor devices by building up layers with different properties on a wafer. They can use SRM 2841 to accurately calibrate the instruments they use to measure these layers, enabling the creation of products that are both innovative and reliable.

Did you know that continuous glucose monitors, devices used to track blood sugar, don’t actually measure your blood? For millions of people with diabetes, keeping blood sugar in a healthy range is a daily struggle. Small, wearable continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) have revolutionized this process. Typically worn on the arm or stomach, these devices track glucose levels continuously throughout the day. But to do this comfortably, they skip the bloodstream entirely. Instead, a tiny sensor measures glucose in the clear, watery fluid surrounding your cells. Because these real-time readings guide critical health decisions, they must be precise. So, how does a wearable sensor translate this cellular fluid into trusted data on your screen, and how does measurement science keep those readings accurate? Read more: https://lnkd.in/ezF22w2U

3D printing has matured from a speculative sci-fi fantasy into a practical tool. Plastic is the most commonly used material for 3D printing, but NIST research is helping expand 3D printing into a new area – ceramics. While it’s unlikely that 3D printing of ceramics will be common among hobbyists due to the size of the equipment, it is ideal for items such as medical implants. Learn more in our latest Taking Measure blog post: https://lnkd.in/eR2Sb8M6

We are revolutionizing agriculture, healthcare, manufacturing and other parts of the U.S. bioeconomy! NIST and the National Science Foundation announce the inaugural five Scholars-in-Residence awards. The awardees will work with NIST’s Living Measurements Systems Foundry and its partners. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gZBF7_HX

Researchers at NIST have developed a new water heater designed to keep bacteria at bay. Legionnaire’s disease is caused by bacteria that grows in warm water. The bacteria can become dangerous if it builds up in plumbing systems. This is particularly important in buildings with lots of plumbing, like hotels. One solution is to raise the temperature of the water heater. But a temperature that’s hot enough to kill nearly all bacteria will also burn human skin. So, the water needs to be cooled back down to a temperature that’s safe, but still warm enough for a hot shower. This new water heater design helps manage those temperatures in a way that’s energy efficient and inexpensive. This isn’t a commercial product yet, but research like this is part of the ongoing process that keeps your water safe behind the scenes. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/e9zHh_Rk