Mismatch between classroom furniture and anthropometric measures of university students

Abstract

The appropriate design of tools, equipment and accessories for human body sizes, while meeting the social, cultural, economic and psychological needs of people, provides maximum benefit. This is crucial for students who spend most of their time using school furniture. The aim of the study is to investigate the mismatch between school furniture dimensions and students’ anthropometric measures. Nine anthropometric measures were taken of 225 students (68 female and 157 male) from nine departments of an engineering faculty using a specially designed measurement tool. The mismatch percentages between the existing classroom furniture dimensions and the anthropometric measures were determined using some well-known criterion equations. The results indicated a considerable mismatch: 44.45% for seat height, 100% for seat depth, and 21.28% for desk height. Two types of proposed classroom furniture achieved much higher percentage matches. The match percentages were above 70% for four dimensions for type A and above 95%, except for seat height and width of backrest, for all of the dimensions for both types. Relevance to industryThis study helps in establishing and motivating necessary further studies in classroom ergonomics in university settings.