The instrumentation and characterization technologies constitute the foundation of research and development for every field of industrial science and technology, and have potentials to provide driving force for opening new areas of industries, as illustrated by the emergence of materials science on atomic and molecular levels (nanotechnology), genetic manipulation, genomic analysis and biotechnology, triggered by the development of various types of microscopy. The Research Institute of Instrumentation Frontier (RIIF) is aiming at R&D works to break through the frontier of instrumentation with the development of advanced measuring and control instruments and systems to contribute to the advance of industry and science (tool development), and with that of characterization and analysis technology based on sophisticated measurement (knowledge exploitation). Besides, the contribution to setting benchmarks and industrial standards based on acquired knowledge, and the creation of future metrology standards taking advantage of developed tools will be taken into consideration.