Organization

We, the Research Institute for Measurement and Analytical Instrumentation (RIMA) develop, maintain, and disseminate the national primary standards especially for the industrial areas of ionizing radiation, radioactivity and neutrons, acoustics and ultrasonics. The standards include the absorbed dose in water for high energy photons from a clinical linac, a certified reference material consisting of brown rice mixed with a determined amount of Cs-134 and Cs-137 for radioactivity measurement of food, and a standard of sound power levels for evaluation of environmental noise. By supplying accurate and reliable scales to sound and radiation, these standards help to ensure a safe environment, and support the public trust in the safety of modern technology especially in the medical and analysis and testing industries. We also carry out R&D of advanced measurement, analysis, characterization, and testing systems using positrons, X-rays, laser light, and ions as probes. The developed systems, which are in general either open to external users on site at AIST or put into commercial production through collaboration with companies, have a wide range of research applications including characterization of nano-materials and nondestructive inspection of finished products and facilities. By encouraging broad use of standards and advanced measurement techniques and systems in the analysis and testing industry we contribute to the establishment of a more affluent and safer society.