Accessibility

Standards make the world accessible for all

 

This year's theme of Standards which make the world accessible for all reminds us of the many different factors we need to take into account when designing and developing products for a broad spectrum of people. e-tech this month looks in more detail at some of the various standardization aspects of catering for disabilities when designing and producing electrotechnical products.

 

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From here to there

Building on the strengths of the IEC

 

e-tech interview with IEC General Secretary and CEO Ronnie Amit who talks of the strengths of the IEC and what it needs to do to build on them.

 

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Reach out downunder

2011 IEC General Meeting in Melbourne, Australia

 

There's just under a year to go until the 2011 General Meeting in Melbourne (24-28 October) and the Australian National Committee still has some strategic sponsorship opportunities available for companies and organizations wanting to reach out to the global network serving the fast growing electrotechnical sector within the IEC.

 

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Even better connected

The IEC at GridWeek

 

The IEC sponsored and participated at GridWeek, which is dedicated to the Smart Grid and was held on 18-21 October 2010 in Washington, DC, United States. It was the ideal opportunity for IEC President, Jacques Régis to officially announce the IEC Smart Grid Mapping Solution.

 

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Cleaner transport

International cooperation to reduce CO2 emissions with EV initiative

 

The October 2010 Paris Motor Show saw the launch of a new international initiative aimed at making clean vehicles a reality by providing a platform for global cooperation on the development and deployment of electric vehicles.

 

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Managing driver distraction

Call for abstracts – Geneva Motor Show

 

For the sixth consecutive year, the WSC are collaborating on a joint ICT event to take place on 2-3 March 2011 during the prestigious Geneva Motor Show, one of the key opportunities of the year to engage with the motor industry.

 

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Core competencies

IEC President addresses Council

 

In his address to the IEC Council, the IEC President underlines the core competencies of the IEC while stressing the importance of Conformity Assessment, the involvement of industry and collaboration with other organizations active in the area of electrotechnology.

 

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Commitment, efficiency, relevance

General Secretary address to Statutory Council

 

IEC General Secretary and CEO Ronnie Amit, talks to Council of the strong support and increasing efficiency that enables the IEC to address key industry needs with a long-term perspective.

 

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IEC SMB

Accomplishments

 

Frank Kitzantides, IEC Vice-President and Standardization Management Board Chairman reports to Council.

 

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Outside in

IEC Marketing Strategy Board

 

Enno Liess, IEC Vice-President and Market Strategy Board Convenor reports to Council.

 

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Conformity Assessment

A clear market advantage for IEC

 

IEC Vice-President and Chairman of the Conformity Assessment Board Hiromichi Fujisawa presents his report to the IEC Council.

 

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Lord Kelvin Award

Highest distinction in electrotechnology

 

Three outstanding individuals receive the Lord Kelvin Award for their lifelong contribution to electrotechnology from the hands of IEC President, Jacques Régis, during a special dinner held at the Boeing space Museum in Seattle during the IEC General Meeting.

 

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Go ahead, get ahead

The IEC's Young Professionals' Programme

 

A wind of youth blows on Seattle, Washington, United States, in October when 53 young people from 27 member countries gather at the IEC General Meeting for the first-ever Young Professionals' Workshop.

 

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IEC Statutory Council meeting

IEC General Meeting in Seattle

 

Council, the supreme governing body of the IEC, holds its meeting during the IEC General Meeting in Seattle.

 

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Adding the "how"

Open Council session

 

"Energy Generation, Distribution and Conservation" is the topic of the Council Open Session presentation. IEC "hands-on" work in the areas of wind energy, solar power, nuclear, fuel cells, hydro and the like is enabling new energy technologies and renewable power generation.

 

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2010 Thomas A. Edison Award Laureates

New this year in the IEC awards programme

 

The IEC Thomas A. Edison Award, attributed for the first time, recognizes exceptional achievement in committee management by current Technical Committee and Subcommittee Officers or their Conformity Assessment counterparts. The Award can be attributed to a maximum of nine persons every year.

 

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Communication helps standardization

What happened at the TC/SC Officers workshop in Seattle

 

The TC/SC Officers' workshop in Seattle.

Why 'being in a meeting' doesn't always mean you actually need to meet and how listening to your IEC "customers" can improve the overall impact and relevance of your standardization work.

 

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Accidents happen everywhere

Ensuring safety through use of International Standards in industrializing countries

 

How International Standards ensure safety in industrializing countries. The industrializing country workshop opened by IEC Affiliate Country Programme Leader Carlos Rodríguez of Costa Rica is held under the banner: "Ensuring performance and safety of household electrical appliances in industrializing countries".

 

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Affiliate forum

A unique opportunity to meet counterparts

 

For the past two years, Affiliate countries participating in the IEC GMs have benefited from a platform especially designed for them in order to exchange views, discuss common issues and share experiences.

 

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Seattle

Highlights of the 2010 IEC General Meeting in pictures

 

American heritage at the opening ceremony performed by dancers from Northstar Painted Sky. Some of the photos from the IEC General Meeting in Seattle, Washington, US (United States).

 

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Promoting safety and performance for PV industry

IECEE present at world’s largest solar energy conference and exhibition

 

Photovoltaic systems require considerable investments, and manufacturers need to be able to demonstrate that their products can perform long-term and endure harsh conditions. There's a growing need to ascertain that new products respect adequate safety, quality and performance parameters.

 

The IECEE attends the world’s largest solar energy conference and exhibition.

 

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Safety for custom-designed Ex items and assemblies

IECEx certification now includes Unit Verification

 

While the vast majority of devices and equipment used in Ex (explosive) areas is mass-produced, the need occasionally arises for a manufacturer to produce a single or a small series of custom-made items for a very specific and unique project.

 

IECEx certification now includes Unit Verification.

 

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Electronics: a key role in accessibility issues

Safety and reliability through IECQ certification

 

What does IECQ, the IEC Quality Assessment System for Electronic Components, have to do with accessibility?

 

It may not seem obvious, but you only need to dig a little to realize that accessibility relies heavily on electronics and electronic components.

 

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Building up Conformity Assessment

Sweden’s Gösta Fredriksson: one of three 2010 IEC Lord Kelvin Award laureates

 

Sweden’s Gösta Fredriksson is one of three 2010 IEC Lord Kelvin Award laureates. He talks to e-tech about Conformity Assessment and some of his experience in the area.

 

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Accessibility – everybody's business

Imagine...

 

Placing yourself in the shoes of a disabled person is a challenging exercise. It's an even more complex puzzle for standardization bodies. This is where the concept of horizontal standards really comes into its own – standards that describe the outcome of a procedure while leaving the method of arriving at that conclusion to the individual designers of products.

 

IEC/Technical Report 62678, Audio, video and multimedia systems and equipment activities and considerations related to accessibility and usability, just published under the auspices of IEC TC 100: Audio, visual and multimedia systems and equipment, marks the result of extraordinary cooperation between and contributions from a wide range of people.

 

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New appointment in Korea

From liquid crystals and semiconductors to digitized clothes sizing

 

The IEC Korean NC has a new secretary. Soyoung Joo. An engineer with a doctorate from Seoul National University, she has been Director of the International Standards Cooperation Division of KATS since September 2010.

 

She talks to e-tech about how the face of industrial Korea has changed since she began her career and how standardization has taken on new significance with a global reach.

 

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Getting acquainted

National Committee Secretaries get a special welcome at the IEC

 

In September 2010, the IEC organized a practical training session for new National Committee Secretaries, during which they were not only able to learn a tremendous amount about the IEC, its strategies, standardization processes and working tools, but also to meet key people, carry out practical exercises and, moreover, get to know each other.

 

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My 3rd life

Jerry Dennis on his standardization career

 

Jerry Dennis, 2010 Lord Kelvin Award, talks to e-tech about his standardization career.

 

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From conflict to consensus

When industry irons out national differences

 

Bernard Dumortier, 2010 Lord Kelvin Award, talks to e-tech about industry ironing out national differences and some of the marking moments of his career in standardization.

 

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IEC standards

Ensuring accessibility

 

Disabled persons face practical inaccessibility scenarios every day.

 

People in wheelchairs can’t move as quickly as those on foot. Sensors can ensure doors shut slowly enough so people have time to pass. Those with vision problems may not know whether an electronic device is on because they can't see the power light that is either too small, badly positioned or the "wrong" colour. People who wear hearing aids need to be able to use mobile telephones without interference from radio frequencies.

 

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Meeting 2.1

The format of TC/SC meetings

 

The topic of the dedicated workshop held during the General Meeting in Seattle on day one addressed the format of TC/SC meetings.

 

The IEC wanted to find out whether Technical Committees and Subcommittees need additional tools to improve and accelerate standardization work and if they understand and use the existing IEC tools.

 

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Engineering customer impact

Listening to your IEC "customers" can give your company a competitive advantage in the real world

 

Day two of the TC workshop covered the systems approach and liaisons. The aim was to underline why industry is increasingly looking for a systems approach in standardization and to explore how the IEC can use this approach more effectively in its standardization work.

 

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Strategically important

Standards – Necessary evil or strategic advantage

 

From faster, more focused innovation, through easier quality control, to better customer service, standards help reduce cost and increase efficiencies, so why are they often seen as a necessary evil?

 

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