As society becomes increasingly digitized and sensor-driven, the ways we perceive and quantify experiences like comfort, sound, or flavour are gaining scientific importance.

At the BIPM’s Scientific Symposium held during the 150th Anniversary of the Metre Convention, Mr Cristhian Paredes from Colombia’s Instituto Nacional de Metrología (INM) presented his poster, “Perceptual Metrology: A Future Frontier in Human Well-Being.”

His poster explores how metrology could evolve to include the quantification of sensory and perceptual experiences, alongside traditional physical measurements.

Mr Paredes Cardona explained that perceptual metrics — such as how sound is heard, how light is experienced, or how food tastes — are becoming increasingly relevant in high-tech industries, quality-of-life assessments and digital technologies.

“Metrology today is not only for the technical aspects. It is also for society and well-being,” — Mr Paredes emphasised.

While still in the early stages of development, perceptual metrology could pave the way for more inclusive and responsive systems in healthcare, workplace safety, consumer products and digital interaction. Mr Paredes’s poster explores potential pathways to building consensus on what it means to measure perception and how such measurements could be standardized.

The Poster

Listen to a 2-minute audio recording of Mr Paredes explaining his poster, here.

Watch the Presentation