Driving Technology Forward for More Than a Century
Technological progress over time—in virtually every area of human endeavor—has created unparalleled opportunity for people, businesses, and societies to thrive.
We recognize that much of that development and innovation has rested on a foundation of technical standards, born from the shared knowledge, insights, and best practices of many of the world’s leading innovators from across industry and technology spaces.
Technology standards help companies and organizations develop better products and services, compete in global markets, and influence future technology directions. They inform policies, advance trade, and support economic security and growth. For consumers, standards lay the groundwork for and help advance and evolve technologies that we interact with daily, transforming the way we live, work, and communicate.
Growing Momentum for Standards
IEEE and its predecessor organizations the American Institute of Electrical Engineers (AIEE) and the Institute of Radio Engineers (IRE) have played a key role in the development and adoption of world-class technical standards since the late 1800s, when the very idea of having a technical standard was novel. Under the auspices of the AIEE in 1888, a proposal for standardizing the names for electrical and other units was introduced, which resulted in the first standing Committee on Units and Standards.
Much like today, that was an era characterized by rapid change, propelled by the Second Industrial Revolution inspiring the engagement of technology visionaries and business entrepreneurs in standardization.
Over the next century, major advances in energy, communications, computing, medical technology, and many other areas took place, enabling tremendous industrial and social development and improving people’s lives.
Envisioning the expanding impact of standards on humanity, standards development quickly became a focus when IEEE was founded in 1963 from the merger of the AIEE and the IRE, and when a formal Standards Committee was established to support and oversee standards development.
Shaping a New Era of Technological Innovation
The 1990s was defined by a series of breakthroughs, driven by an exploding number of applications and use cases, such as Ethernet networking technology, Wi-Fi wireless communications, renewable energy resources, and power distribution systems.
Globalization and technological innovation were taking place faster than ever before. In 1998, in response to rapid changes in the marketplace and in recognition of the ever-growing importance of open global standards and their impacts, the former IEEE standards activities were transformed into the IEEE Standards Association, to meet the needs of this changing landscape and its participants.
This year, on the 25th anniversary of the formation of the modern IEEE SA, we acknowledge the work of thousands of global contributors who have engaged to drive technology forward and make the world a better place for more than a century.
Just as the technology landscape is constantly evolving, so are we at IEEE SA. Looking to the future, IEEE SA will continue to transform and serve as a leading, trusted platform where experts from around the world convene to raise the world’s standards for the benefit of humanity.
Explore IEEE SA’s Impact by Focus Area
Learn how IEEE SA is addressing the world’s critical challenges in a wide spectrum of industries and technology spaces.
Autonomous and Intelligent Systems
At IEEE SA, our global community has developed resources and standards globally recognized in the area of applied ethics and systems engineering and continue to develop accessible and sustainable approaches and solutions for pragmatic application of AIS principles and frameworks.
Connectivity and Telecom
The IEEE SA is building an ecosystem of interested stakeholders from across the globe to address the need for robust, responsible and affordable wired/wireless platforms while providing improved and reliable connectivity to meet the ever-increasing data needs through the creation of the Connectivity & Telecom Practice.
Energy
IEEE’s Energy Practice provides a focal point for information and assistance across the wide range of IEEE standards and related initiatives associated with the topic of Energy, as well as linkage to IEEE Societies, programs and conferences of interest to the Energy community.
Foundational Technologies
The IEEE SA Foundational Technologies Practice has been established to help standardize seamless and ubiquitous connectivity across all applications of connected technologies in a trust-worthy and enabling manner.
Healthcare and Life Sciences
Providing a global platform of excellence to improve the global standard quality of life at every step through affordable healthcare and access to medicines; support innovation to improve overall wellness and improve societal outcomes; and to enable innovation through open and standardized means.
Mobility
The IEEE SA Mobility Practice provides a focal point for information and assistance across the wide range of IEEE standards and related initiatives associated with mobility and the digital transformation of transportation.
Get Involved
Whether you are looking to make your mark as an individual or on behalf of your organization, IEEE SA offers many different opportunities to make a meaningful impact for the benefit of humanity. We invite you to join us in raising the world’s standards.
Industry Connections
The IEEE Standards Association (IEEE SA) Industry Connections (IC) program helps incubate new standards and related products and services by facilitating collaboration among organizations and individuals as they hone and refine their thinking on rapidly changing technologies.
Standards Development
IEEE Standards are developed using a time-tested, effective, and trusted process that is easily explained in a six stage lifecycle.
IEEE Conformity Assessment Program (ICAP)
ICAP develops and implements programs that couple standards development activities with conformity assessment activities to help accelerate market adoption while reducing implementation costs. Consumers, manufacturers, service providers, value-added resellers and businesses expect product reliability, efficiency, and interoperability.
IEEE SA Membership
The IEEE SA Membership Program offers individuals and organizations the ability to shape the development of global IEEE standards that help drive innovation, competitiveness, sustainability and consumer protection.
IEEE SA Open
Open source has changed the landscape of technology development, speeding innovation and enabling radical advancements in the way we live, work and communicate. It has also impacted the standards world, providing opportunities for dynamic new collaborations that can further advance and improve technology.