Key Points
- The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is the world’s leading organization producing international standards for all electrotechnologies.
- IEC members, including Foundation team members, develop international standards and conformity assessments to make the world safer and more efficient.
The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is the world’s leading organization for the preparation and publication of international standards for all electrical, electronic, and related technologies (electrotechnology). Focused Ultrasound Foundation scientific team members belong to this not-for-profit membership organization, which consists of 20,000 experts from more than 170 countries. Together, IEC members develop international standards and conformity assessments to make the world safer and more efficient.
More specifically, our scientific team members participate on one of IEC’s approximately 200 technical committees and subcommittees. Ultrasonics technical committee 87 (TC87) was formed to prepare standards related to the characteristics, methods of measurement, safety, and specifications of fields, equipment, and systems in the domain of ultrasonics. TC87’s working group 6 (WG6) is developing standards for high-output focused transducers.
The most recent IEC TC87/WG6 meeting was held on July 14, 2023, in Milan, Italy. Matt Eames, PhD, the Foundation’s former director of extramural research, attended in person while Frederic Padilla, PhD, Dave Moore, and Rick Hamilton attended virtually.
“IEC guidance and standards for measurements are often referred to by the US Food and Drug Administration and others when considering regulatory approval for medical devices,” said Dr. Eames. “At the Italy meeting in July, I joined IEC Task Group 87 in discussing standards and guidance on focused ultrasound simulations and high-pressure hydrophone measurements.”
The next 2024 working group meeting is planned for April in Madrid, Spain.