Logo of the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt

Measurement uncertainty

Working Group 8.42
To top

Overview

Comparison of measurement results, reliable decision-making and conformity assessment require the evaluation of uncertainties associated with measurement results. The ability to compare measurements made in different places and at different times underpins international metrology. The Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement (Opens external link in new windowGUM) provides guidance for the evaluation of uncertainties, and it has been applied successfully in many applications throughout metrology.

 

Illustration of Monte Carlo method according to Opens external link in new windowSupplement 1 to the GUM.

In recent years metrology has expanded to support new fields to address societal challenges relating to energy and sustainability, climate and environmental monitoring, life sciences and health, using measurement modalities such as imaging, spectroscopy, earth observation and sensor networks. Reliable uncertainty evaluation is particularly important in these applications, e.g. to safeguard the diagnosis of a tumor in quantitative imaging or to reliably monitor air pollution. The GUM does not adequately address the challenges arising in these applications, and the development of statistical procedures for improved uncertainty evaluation is an urgent need.

To top

Research

The focus of PTB’s Working Group 8.42 is on the development of Bayesian methods for the evaluation of uncertainties. The development is carried out within the context of different research areas of data analysis such as large-scale data analysis or deep learning. Bayesian inference procedures suitable for the extension of the current GUM methodology are also part of the current research in PTB’s Working Group 8.42. Examples include simple means to assign distributions representing the available prior knowledge, or procedures for the numerical calculation of results. Open source software support is provided to ease the application of the research results.

To top

Software

To top

Publications

Publication single view

Article

Title: Evaluation of uncertainty in the adjustment of fundamental constants
Author(s): O. Bodnar, C. Elster, J. Fischer, A. Possolo and B. Toman
Journal: Metrologia
Year: 2016
Volume: 53
Issue: 1
Pages: S46
DOI: 10.1088/0026-1394/53/1/S46
Web URL: http://stacks.iop.org/0026-1394/53/i=1/a=S46
Tags: 8.42, Unsicherheit
Abstract: Combining multiple measurement results for the same quantity is an important task in metrology and in many other areas. Examples include the determination of fundamental constants, the calculation of reference values in interlaboratory comparisons, or the meta-analysis of clinical studies. However, neither the GUM nor its supplements give any guidance for this task. Various approaches are applied such as weighted least-squares in conjunction with the Birge ratio or random effects models. While the former approach, which is based on a location-scale model, is particularly popular in metrology, the latter represents a standard tool used in statistics for meta-analysis. We investigate the reliability and robustness of the location-scale model and the random effects model with particular focus on resulting coverage or credible intervals. The interval estimates are obtained by adopting a Bayesian point of view in conjunction with a non-informative prior that is determined by a currently favored principle for selecting non-informative priors. Both approaches are compared by applying them to simulated data as well as to data for the Planck constant and the Newtonian constant of gravitation. Our results suggest that the proposed Bayesian inference based on the random effects model is more reliable and less sensitive to model misspecifications than the approach based on the location-scale model.

Back to the list view

To top