IEEE Standards Association Propels Global Technology Innovation Into 2018

PISCATAWAY, NJ, 13 December 2017 – As a result of outstanding support and involvement from members, participants and partners, IEEE, the world’s largest technical professional organization dedicated to advancing technology for humanity, and the IEEE Standards Association (IEEE SA) are approaching the end of 2017 with an extraordinary level of activity worldwide in standards development, global partnerships and alliances. The IEEE SA saw a number of records set in 2017 for new standards projects, approved standards, and new pre-standards initiatives.

Underscoring its mission to foster the development of industry-driven, open standards, the organization promoted 198 Project Authorization Request (PARs) to standards project status, surpassing the previous record set in 2016. It also approved 139 standards, surpassing its previous one-year record of 117 standards approvals, set in 2012.

“The combined efforts of the global IEEE SA community have truly made this year one for the record books. We’re very proud of the accomplishments our dedicated volunteers, members and staff have achieved in 2017, and we offer them our thanks for their hard work,” said Forrest D. (Don) Wright, IEEE SA president. “At December’s Standards Association Award Ceremony, numerous volunteers were recognized for their exceptional contributions. As we move toward 2018, we’re looking to build on this momentum, while maximizing the benefit of new technology innovation for humanity as a whole.”

Addressing challenges arising from emerging technologies and markets was an area of emphasis for IEEE in 2017. Questions encompassing privacy, security, and ethical design in AI, design engineering, robotics, and symbiotic autonomous systems dominated discussions at a global level. The Ethically Aligned Design: A Vision for Prioritizing Human Well-being with Autonomous and Intelligent Systems initiative saw tremendous activity throughout the year, culminating in the release of Version 2 of its Ethically Aligned Design Report on 12 December 2017.

Among IEEE SA’s market-acceleration standardization initiatives is the Industry Connections (IC) program, which serves as an industry incubator for new specifications, and related products and services. In 2017, the IC program saw a 70% growth in the number of activities in the program; current initiatives address opportunities in 3D body processing; automotive; cybersecurity; blockchain applications; healthcare; Internet of Things (IoT); mixed reality; robotics; smart cities; and more.

IEEE SA also continued to serve as a trusted consensus-builder among key constituencies such as corporations; policymakers; non-governmental organizations (NGOs); and fellow standards development organizations (SDOs). Proactive outreach efforts resulted in an unprecedented number of new collaborations, alliances, and partnerships in Australia; China; Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA); India; Japan; and Latin America. Additionally, IEEE SA maintained a meaningful presence at a rising number of professional conferences and technical events, including hosting the IEEE Tech for Humanity series at South by Southwest 2017 (SXSW) in Austin, TX; co-sponsoring the University of Southern California’s 11^th annual global Body Computing Conference; and taking part in Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2017 in Barcelona, Spain, as well as OSCON 2017. IEEE SA made progress toward embracing open source activities and shared information about its plans in an open forum on 5 December 2017.

“As we look back on a record year for IEEE SA activity, I want to personally thank our members and the many other individuals, companies and governments who have contributed to our standards development and related other programs. The IEEE SA is privileged to have earned your trust and support, and we look forward to continuing our collaborations with you in 2018,” said Konstantinos Karachalios, managing director, IEEE SA.

To learn more about IEEE SA or about any of its many market-driven initiatives, visit us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, connect with us on LinkedIn, or on the Beyond Standards Blog.

IEEE Standards Association (IEEE SA) is a collaborative organization where innovators raise the world’s standards for technology. IEEE SA provides a globally open, consensus-building environment and platform that empowers people to work together in the development of leading-edge, market-relevant technology standards, and industry solutions shaping a better, safer and sustainable world. For more information, visit https://standards-qa21.ieee.org.

IEEE is the world’s largest technical professional organization dedicated to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity. Through its highly cited publications, conferences, technology standards, and professional and educational activities, IEEE is the trusted voice in a wide variety of areas ranging from aerospace systems, computers, and telecommunications to biomedical engineering, electric power, and consumer electronics. Learn more at https://www.ieee.org.