The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is advancing standards across multiple sectors, including a dedicated group for quantum technology. Special Group 11 (SG 11) was previously established to develop standards for quantum technology, which the new SMB Chair, Vimal Mahendru, plans to support as a strategic priority through 2023. While this article highlights the IEC’s broader updates—such as a new “Global Relevance Toolbox” to help implement standards worldwide and new work on measuring the carbon footprint of electrical products—the quantum group remains a key focus for future technical activities.
The organization is also creating new groups to standardize emerging fields like the metaverse and bio-digital convergence to ensure interoperability among different technologies. Environmental guidelines for assessing climate change are scheduled for review in mid-2023, with the goal of providing clear rules for product-specific assessments. These initiatives aim to establish a systematic approach to standardization, ensuring the IEC can effectively address the technical requirements of quantum technologies and other advanced sectors in the coming years.
Source: https://www.iec.ch/smb-communique/issue3
Keywords: quantum technology, bio-digital convergence, metaverse
