4 ms·

Has anyone here worked in a laboratory or other environment that uses these reference masses and requires this level of precision?

by jgable 10y ago

mdturnerphys 10y ago
Not directly, but my research group has used referenced masses and a former colleague works on the NIST watt balance.
fuzzfactor 10y ago
In commodity analysis, I depend on the mere existence and cascading chain of trust descending from this exact NIST kilogram, or any other NIST mass standard that may come along. This is a tremendous benefit even if I am not required to make my mass measurements anywhere near the level of precision which NIST is capable of itself discerning. My target for precision is simply to be measurably better than the next best operator. NIST gives a final reference against which the quality of measurement can be correctly judged. I have personally certified many billions of dollars worth of cargo in a way which is traceable to the NIST mass standard in particular, more so than most other single-handed individuals by far. Naturally, I started early which was an unfair advantage, but I recognized the need for traceability to a primary unquestionable standard, especially when I'm advancing the underlying measurement technologies in ways which are not being published or would be difficult for less experienced operators to grasp. From an extreme viewpoint, the only alternative would be to otherwise rely on superstition. Turns out, without knowing it, I have spent years focused on avoiding the kind of difficulties that Theranos appears to be involed in, with their emerging testing technology in their field of analysis. I prefer my results to be traceable to NIST before they emerge from the lab. Insurance companies have always gotten a lot more upset over a slightly incorrect result in my field compared to the field of routine blood work.

4 ms·

Has anyone here worked in a laboratory or other environment that uses these reference masses and requires this level of precision?

by jgable 10y ago

Has anyone here worked in a laboratory or other environment that uses these reference masses and requires this level of precision?

mdturnerphys 10y ago
Not directly, but my research group has used referenced masses and a former colleague works on the NIST watt balance.
fuzzfactor 10y ago
In commodity analysis, I depend on the mere existence and cascading chain of trust descending from this exact NIST kilogram, or any other NIST mass standard that may come along. This is a tremendous benefit even if I am not required to make my mass measurements anywhere near the level of precision which NIST is capable of itself discerning. My target for precision is simply to be measurably better than the next best operator. NIST gives a final reference against which the quality of measurement can be correctly judged. I have personally certified many billions of dollars worth of cargo in a way which is traceable to the NIST mass standard in particular, more so than most other single-handed individuals by far. Naturally, I started early which was an unfair advantage, but I recognized the need for traceability to a primary unquestionable standard, especially when I'm advancing the underlying measurement technologies in ways which are not being published or would be difficult for less experienced operators to grasp. From an extreme viewpoint, the only alternative would be to otherwise rely on superstition. Turns out, without knowing it, I have spent years focused on avoiding the kind of difficulties that Theranos appears to be involed in, with their emerging testing technology in their field of analysis. I prefer my results to be traceable to NIST before they emerge from the lab. Insurance companies have always gotten a lot more upset over a slightly incorrect result in my field compared to the field of routine blood work.