NPL undertakes long-term, leading-edge research to develop new and improved measurement methods that will impact on UK future services and products. This covers areas such as the development of novel sensors and optical techniques of measurement, as well as standard methods for acoustic emission and high power industrial ultrasound, where much of the research is world-leading.

We work closely with industry and academia, providing consultancy to both large and small companies, and the varied nature of our capabilities enables us to formulate detailed and often unique solutions to real measurement problems. NPL provides world-class standards for measurement and calibration, and key expertise in measurement related research and development covering the fields of sound-in-air, ultrasonics and underwater acoustics.

Our role is underpinned by specialist, and often unique, purpose built facilities including reverberation and free-field rooms, environmental test facilities, open laboratory tanks and water sites for underwater measurement. NPL's modelling capability and dedicated measuring and testing equipment, ideally position us to provide standards and comprehensive measurement solutions for all these areas. Our leading measurement scientists additionally provide tailored training courses in various aspects of acoustics and are able to develop bespoke systems and products to solve industrial measurement problems.

NPL Acoustics supports:

• hospitals and clinics, where the requirement is to measure the ultrasonic energy produced by medical therapeutic and diagnostic equipment involved with physiotherapy and cancer treatment, and for medical ultrasound equipment manufacturers, where compliance with international and national safety-related standards must be demonstrated;
  
• occupational and environmental health, including the impact of noise emitted by machinery in the workplace, and of other sources such as aircraft and industrial noise, and the measurement and protection of hearing;
  
• offshore marine activities, where acoustic systems are key in underpinning technology for oil and gas operations, oceanographic research, and defence applications, and where assessments are required of the environmental impact of man-made noise.