Thanks to the development and application of standards, people worldwide can trust that the products, processes, and services they use are safer, more reliable, higher quality, and – in some cases – more ethical or sustainable.
How Standards Shape Our World
In everyday life, standards help ensure the safety of everything from the food we eat to the appliances, devices, and medical equipment we operate. Standards also guide energy management for improved efficiency and govern IT security practices to protect sensitive information.
The concept of standardization dates back to ancient civilizations, many of which created universal systems of weights, measures, and guidelines to support their trading activities. The world’s first formal standards organization, the National Standards Body, was established in London in 1901. Following the launch of the World Bank in 1944 and the founding of the United Nations in 1945, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) was officially created in 1947 to “establish international standards for goods and services, promote global cooperation, and enhance quality, safety, and efficiency” in the post-WWII era.
Streamlining Society and Business
Since then, standards have had an indelible impact on our lives – enhancing safety, promoting technological innovation, and streamlining global trade. Below are some interesting facts about global standards:
- The acronym “ISO” (associated with the International Organization for Standardization) comes from the Greek word “isos,” meaning “equal.”
- More than 100,000 standards are recognized in the U.S. alone, and over 30,000 international standards are acknowledged globally.
- Standards are foundational for a wide range of industries. Examples include:
- Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) used in financial reporting
- Common Core Standards in education
- The National Electric Code (NEC) governing safe electrical installations in the U.S.
- The International Energy Conservation Code regulating global energy usage
- Bluetooth standards defining how wireless devices connect and communicate
- HTML and CSS language standards regulating the architecture, look, and feel of web content
- Even credit card sizes are standardized to ensure their compatibility worldwide!
- 14 October marks World Standards Day (founded by ISO in 1970), celebrating the importance of standards and those who develop them.
The Role of IEEE in the Standards Process
For over a century, the IEEE Standards Association (IEEE SA) has helped shape global technology. As one of the most respected standards organizations, IEEE collaborates with thought leaders in more than 160 countries to advance innovation, safety, and interoperability. Its portfolio includes more than 1,200 active standards, with another 1,000+ currently in development.
IEEE standards span a wide range of disciplines—telecommunications, IT, electric vehicles, smart grids, blockchain, electromagnetic compatibility, and more. By providing a framework for compliance and innovation, these standards empower professionals to develop reliable, forward-thinking technologies.
IEEE: Your Expert Source on Standards
IEEE offers many informative standards-related courses across a diverse range of fields.
- IEEE 802.11ax: An Overview of High-Efficiency Wi-Fi (Wi-Fi 6)
This 6-hour course program examines the underlying technology behind the latest Wi-Fi 6 products and the 802.11ax standard, which is focused on achieving higher efficiency and improving the user experience. - Introduction to IEEE Std 1547-2018: Connecting Distributed Energy Resources
This 6-hour course program reviews the interconnection testing and verification requirements included in the IEEE 1547 standard, requirements for interoperability and open access at the DER, and power quality issues associated with DER systems. - AI Standards: Roadmap for Ethical and Responsible Digital Environments
This 5-hour course program offers a comprehensive approach to creating ethical and responsible digital ecosystems based on the principles of Honesty & Impartiality, Protection & Security, and Safe Disclosure & Privacy. - IEEE Software and Systems Engineering Standards Used in Aerospace and Defense
This 5-hour course program explores systems and software engineering concepts applicable to the Aerospace and Defense industries and covers such topics as the selection and application of appropriate IEEE standards for life cycle processes, solving complex issues through interrelated life cycle processes, and techniques for rapid but high quality delivery. - NESC® 2023: National Electrical Safety Code
This 7-hour course program educates power utility professionals on the rules, regulations, and changes in the 2023 edition of the National Electrical Safety Code (NESC) and reviews such specific topics as supply station safety, grounding, and overhead and underground requirements. - Software & Hardware Configuration Management in Systems Engineering
This 5-hour course program reviews essential configuration management core concepts for both hardware and software, from the requirements specified in the IEEE 828 standard to best CM practices, modern CM approaches such as “Agile SCM,” and methods to assess and improve existing organizational CM practices.
Explore and enroll in IEEE standards courses today on the IEEE Learning Network. For institutional access, contact a specialist today!
Most connected users worldwide have at some point experienced the agony and frustration of a slow wireless network. However, speeds are increasing thanks to IEEE Standard 802.11ax and its impact on business and society as we know it.
Officially certified in 2020, IEEE 802.11ax, also known as “Wi-Fi 6,” delivers throughput per user via wireless LAN (WLAN) technology that’s four times faster than the preceding Wi-Fi standard. (IEEE 802.11ac, known as “Wi-Fi 5”, was introduced in 2013.) Offering increased bandwidth, more efficient use of channels and router technology, the ability to conserve power through a proactive “Target Wake Time” feature, and updated data encryption capabilities, IEEE Standard 802.11ax is poised to significantly enhance the speed and reliability of wireless networks.
Over the last several years, wireless connections have especially suffered in high-density environments. Large numbers of devices are connected to a network in such places. The increased adoption of internet-connected devices worldwide contributes to the growth of these environments. Furthermore, advances in technology have driven more companies to modernize their wireless networks. Those trends are only expected to continue. Research firm Markets and Market Data projects the global Wi-Fi market to rise in value from US$12.3 billion to US$31.3 billion by 2027.
High Efficiency, Reliable Wi-Fi is Critical to Industries Across the Board
In our current global Wi-Fi landscape that continues to both expand rapidly and advance technologically, the need for speed and high efficiency is more imperative than ever to industries of all kinds. Check out these examples.
According to a recent study by The International Association of Conference Centres (IACC), nearly 60% of meeting planners surveyed claimed they wouldn’t prioritize a venue unless they had a guarantee of internet performance.
Thanks to the adoption of Wi-Fi 6, airports will no longer struggle to reconfigure their networks when travelers download content and check emails. In essence, it prevents overloading the building’s wireless network just prior to boarding.
Automotive
In the automotive industry, Wi-Fi 6 will more quickly and comprehensively generate telematic data. This can include engine performance, braking and steering systems, and real-time traffic conditions. Moreover, features such as surround-view cameras and roadside assistance will benefit. This will allow car manufacturers to enhance safety and tailor service packages for drivers. Additionally, car repairs can get underway faster. Wi-Fi 6 will enable car dealers and repair shops to connect wirelessly to a vehicle’s on-board diagnostics. This allows them to identify problems remotely and prepare a repair estimate even before the customer comes into the shop. Furthermore, Wi-Fi 6 will also be a boon for in-car ‘infotainment’. It will support the real-time speed required for streaming content.
Healthcare
In the healthcare arena, the use of telemedicine rose precipitously during the pandemic. Many medical practitioners and patients continue to use it. At the same time, more medical devices (such as x-ray and MRI machines) are going wireless, which places additional data demands on wireless networks. With Wi-Fi 6, healthcare facilities operating such equipment remotely will be able to transmit data with greater speed and reliability. They can also place mission-critical equipment on a different band, and better optimize their wireless capabilities.
Other Industries
Manufacturing and logistics companies with Wi-Fi 6 capabilities can run diagnostics and maintenance on equipment remotely. This helps reduce costly downtime in the manufacturing, supply chain, quality control, and distribution functions.
Additional uses are areas such as the educational and the defense industries. In both these sectors, training in “real-life” situations is often conducted in simulated settings for safety and/or cost reasons. Wi-Fi 6 can enable greater access to in-depth, real-world simulations for training purposes.
Wi-Fi 6 Expectations
The bottom line?
In an economy where the speed and quality of network connections can drive the user experience and ultimately dictate a company’s success, Wi-Fi 6 holds promise in a variety of fields. Global consultant Deloitte states that Wi-Fi 6 will be “indispensable to the future of enterprise connectivity” across all connected industries.
Are You Up to Speed on Wi-Fi 6?
The course program, IEEE 802.11ax: An Overview of High-Efficiency Wi-Fi (Wi-Fi 6), takes learners on the latest step in a journey of continuous innovation in wireless local area networks (LAN) standards. In it, expert instructors discuss IEEE Standard 802.11ax, the underlying technology of the latest Wi-Fi 6 products.
Unlike previous amendments (e.g., IEEE Standard 802.11ac and IEEE Standard 802.11n), which were focused mainly on increasing the peak throughput, 802.11ax focuses on achieving Higher Efficiency (HE). It improves metrics that reflect user experience, such as average throughput per station. This was achieved by better physical layer efficiency and spectrum utilization. Flexible multi-access and scheduled transmission schemes also contribute. Increasing the spatial reuse and improving interference management between neighboring networks, particularly in dense environments, were key.
This training provides an overview of the features and optimizations introduced by IEEE 802.11ax to the Physical (PHY) and Medium Access Control (MAC) layers. The first part of the program focuses on the PHY layer. The second part focuses on the MAC layer.
Resources
What Is 802.11ac? Cisco.
Badman, Lee. What’s the difference between 802.11ac vs. 802.11ax? Tech Target.
Serrano, Jesus. (4 January 2023). 6 WiFi Trends to Watch Out For in 2023. Galgus.
Kerravala, Zeus. (11 October 2021). Why Businesses Need to Upgrade And Modernize Their Wi-Fi Networks. Forbes.
Wi-Fi 6 Industry Impact Report. Qualcomm.
Tang, Kevin. (16 February 2022). Wi-Fi is Essential for Driving Automotive Transformation. Wi-Fi Alliance.
(29 September 2022.) Telehealth in the Pandemic—How Has It Changed Health Care Delivery in Medicaid and Medicare? U.S. Government Accountability Office.
Dohnalek, Mark. (18 June 2021). Wi-Fi 6: What it Means and Why it Matters for New Product Development. Supply Chain Management Review.
Hupfer, Susanne. Bucaille, Ariane. Mazumder, Sayantani. Westcott, Kevin. (1 December 2021). Wi-Fi 6: Unsung, Underexposed—and Indispensable to the Future of Enterprise Connectivity. Deloitte Insights.