Anthropometric Database Research Articles

Digital anthropometric volumes: Toward the development and validation of a universal software.

Anthropometry is a method for quantifying body size and shape often used to derive body composition and health risk prediction models. Recent technology advancements led to development of three-dimensional (3D) optical scanners that can overcome most of the limitations associated with manual anthropometric data collection. However, each of the currently available devices offers proprietary measurements that do not match conventional anthropometric definitions. The aim of the current study was to develop and then evaluate the precision and accuracy of new "universal" 3D optical analysis software that calculates digital anthropometric volumes using identical standard landmarks across scanners. Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and air displacement plethysmography (ADP) total body and regional volume and fat mass reference measurements and 3D optical scans from two proprietary devices were collected from 356 participants to evaluate the robustness of total body and regional volume and fat mass measurements calculated by the developed software. Linear regression modeling with threefold cross validation was used to evaluate total body and regional fat masses from 3D scans. Total body and regional volumes measured by DXA and ADP had strong associations with corresponding estimates from the commercial 3D optical scanners coupled with the universal software (e.g., R2 =0.98 for Styku and R2 =1.00 for SS20, for both DXA and ADP comparisons). Regional body volumes also had strong correlation between DXA and the 3DO scanners (e.g., for arm, leg and trunk, respective R2 s of 0.75, 0.86, and 0.97 for Styku and 0.79, 0.89, and 0.98 for SS20). Similarly, there were strong associations between DXA- measured total body and regional fat mass and 3D optical estimates calculated by the universal software (e.g., for total body, arm, leg and trunk, respective R2 s of 0.86, 0.72, 0.77, and 0.88 for Styku and 0.84, 0.76, 0.78, and 0.85 for SS20). Absolute differences in volumes and fat mass between the reference methods and the universal software values revealed underlying proprietary scanner differences that can be improved when designing future devices. The current study suggests that, when compared against values calculated using DXA and ADP, the universal software was able to measure total and regional body volumes reliably from scans obtained by two different scanners. The universal software, with future refinements, combined with potential optical scanner design improvements, creates new opportunities for developing large multicenter anthropometric databases with uniformly defined body dimensions that can be used for modeling health risks. Shape Up! Adults Study, NCT0363785.

Measuring and modeling in vivo human gracilis muscle-tendon unit length

Musculoskeletal models rely heavily on the use of an anatomical dataset and clearly defined assumptions to accurately model the subject being studied. Therefore, it is important to understand the limitations of using musculoskeletal models to study individuals. This paper describes a method of measuring in vivo gracilis muscle–tendon unit length and presents a comparison of experimental data versus predictions from four musculoskeletal models in OpenSim. The largest errors occurred when the knee was fully extended. At this position, the absolute average muscle–tendon unit length error was 7% and the absolute average fiber length error was between 15% and 32%. However, the variability of these errors was significant. Manual linear scaling based on an anthropometric database did not capture the variability observed in subjects. The fiber length errors observed are predicted to have a significant impact on muscle force production that may not represent true subject specific force–length relationship of the gracilis.

3D Scanning of the Forearm for Orthosis and HMI Applications.

The rise of rehabilitation robotics has ignited a global investigation into the human machine interface (HMI) between device and user. Previous research on wearable robotics has primarily focused on robotic kinematics and controls but rarely on the actual design of the physical HMI (pHMI). This paper presents a data-driven statistical forearm surface model for designing a forearm orthosis in exoskeleton applications. The forearms of 6 subjects were 3D scanned in a custom-built jig to capture data in extreme pronation and supination poses, creating 3D point clouds of the forearm surface. Resulting data was characterized into a series of ellipses from 20 to 100% of the forearm length. Key ellipse parameters in the model include: normalized major and minor axis length, normalized center point location, tilt angle, and circularity ratio. Single-subject (SS) ellipse parameters were normalized with respect to forearm radiale-stylion (RS) length and circumference and then averaged over the 6 subjects. Averaged parameter profiles were fit with 3rd-order polynomials to create combined-subjects (CS) elliptical models of the forearm. CS models were created in the jig as-is (CS1) and after alignment to ellipse centers at 20 and 100% of the forearm length (CS2). Normalized curve fits of ellipse major and minor axes in model CS2 achieve R2 values ranging from 0.898 to 0.980 indicating a high degree of correlation between cross-sectional size and position along the forearm. Most other parameters showed poor correlation with forearm position (0.005 < R2 < 0.391) with the exception of tilt angle in pronation (0.877) and circularity in supination (0.657). Normalized RMSE of the CS2 ellipse-fit model ranged from 0.21 to 0.64% of forearm circumference and 0.22 to 0.46% of forearm length. The average and peak surface deviation between the scaled CS2 model and individual scans along the forearm varied from 0.56 to 2.86 mm (subject averages) and 3.86 to 7.16 (subject maximums), with the peak deviation occurring between 45 and 50% RS length. The developed equations allow reconstruction of a scalable 3D model that can be sized based on two user measures, RS length and forearm circumference, or based on generic arm measurements taken from existing anthropometric databases.

Body measurements with 3D body scanner: the case of female population in Saudi Arabia

Purpose The purpose of this paper was to develop the first standard apparel sizing system for Saudi adult female population originating from anthropometric study using three-dimensional (3D) body scanner. Design/methodology/approach An anthropometric survey was conducted in four regions of the country where 1,074 participants between the ages of 18 and 63 were scanned using white light 3D body scanner. K-means cluster analysis using stature and hip girth as control variables produced the proposed sizing system, whereas regression equations were used to determine the parameters between measurements of different sizes. Findings Three sizing groups with 12 size designations in each totalling 36 size designations were identified. The sizing charts developed in this study show that key girth measurement ranges of chest, waist and hips are comparable to that of ISO standard and (ASTM D5585-11), while the Saudi female population falls into shorter height brackets than ISO and ASTM standards. Originality/value In this study, the first anthropometric database for Saudi female population was established using 3D body scanning technology, and a sizing system for this target population was developed.

Wearing comfort and perceived heaviness of smart glasses

AbstractSmart glasses require additional structures to perform smart functions, which increases their weight and results in an uneven weight distribution. Excessive weight increase and weight balance issues could cause discomfort; thus, guidelines regarding the appropriate weight profile of smart glasses are needed. The aim of this study is to propose an acceptable weight for smart glasses to ensure user comfort. We derived the main form factors of smart glasses and designed a prototype based on face and head dimensions using a Korean anthropometric database. A total of 78 participants were asked to complete questionnaires related to wearing comfort, perceived heaviness, and sensory threshold. The relationship between wearing comfort and perceived heaviness was analyzed through correlation analysis, and regression analyses were performed to identify the threshold levels. As the weight of the prototype increased, the perceived heaviness score also increased. Perceived heaviness was negatively correlated with wearing comfort (p &lt; .001, r = −.838). The regression analyses revealed that 39.13 g (R 2 = .897) and ±14.16 g (R 2 = .942) were the threshold levels for the perception of weight increase and weight balance difference, respectively. This study contributes to the design of smart glasses based on anthropometric data and makes recommendations regarding the weight profile of smart glasses. The findings are expected to help developers and researchers design more comfortable smart glasses and establish design guidelines for smart glasses.

Anthropometric Analysis to Build Ergonomic Equipment

Body dimensions such as hip breadth, knee height, and chest circumference are important measurements required to build items such as car seats and toilets. However, recent studies strongly point towards a questionable existence or absence of female data in the anthropometric database. Furthermore, many of these databases are dated or are derived from dated models. The objective of this study is to identify an ideal size designation for better fitting choices including both female and male populations for important everyday equipment such as toilet seats.

Development of a Civilian 3d Hand Scan Database

Despite the complexity of the human hand, most large-scale anthropometric data for the human hand includes minimal measurements. Anthropometric studies are expensive and time-consuming to conduct, and more efficient methods are needed to capture hand data and build large-scale civilian databases to impact product design and human factors analyses. A first of its kind large-scale 3D hand anthropometric database was the result of this study with 398 unique datasets. This database was created at minimal cost and time to researchers to improve accessibility to data and impact the design of products for hands.

Digital anthropometry for body circumference measurements: Toward the development of universal three-dimensional optical system analysis software.

Background/ObjectiveDigital anthropometric (DA) assessments are increasingly being administered with three‐dimensional (3D) optical devices in clinical settings that manage patients with obesity and related metabolic disorders. However, anatomic measurement sites are not standardized across manufacturers, precluding use of published reference values and pooling of data across research centers.Subjects/MethodsThis study aimed to develop universal 3D analysis software by applying novel programming strategies capable of producing device‐independent DA estimates that agree with conventional anthropometric (CA) measurements made at well‐defined anatomic sites. A series of technical issues related to proprietary methods of 3D geometrical reconstruction and image analysis were addressed in developing major software components. To evaluate software accuracy, comparisons were made to CA circumference measurements made with a flexible tape at eleven standard anatomic sites in up to 35 adults scanned with three different commercial 3D optical devices.ResultsOverall, group mean CA and DA values across the three systems were in good agreement, with ∼2 cm systematic differences; CA and DA estimates were highly correlated (all p‐values <0.01); root‐mean square errors were low (0.51–3.27 cm); and CA‐DA bias tended to be small, but significant depending on anatomic site and device.ConclusionsAvailability of this software, with future refinements, has the potential to facilitate clinical applications and creation of large pooled uniform anthropometric databases.

Generic kinematical models of the French soldier from a clustered anthropometric database

Anthropometry databases have been collected in armies (US, Australian, Civilian: ANSUR I, II) for product design and sizing such as clothes, work environments and vehicles. However, anthropometry o...

Ergonomics and efficient workplace design for hand-sewn footwear artisans in Kolhapur, India.

The footwear manufacturing industry is one of the significant sectors of leather businesses in India. In the Indian footwear production industry, there is an enormous potential for employment, export, and development. Kolhapuri footwear is a popular handmade craft in India. It is a well-designed craft used by Indian people for many years. Artisans using traditional tools manufacture this footwear manually. Workers of this craft use traditional methods and work in cottage-based enterprises where organized laws and legislations are not applicable. Therefore, any occupational hazard-related documentation is not available. Due to the nature of the job, workers occupy various apparent non-optimal postures that may cause multiple work-related disorders such as musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). The main objective was to study and assess different footwear manufacturing workstations and working postures. The work further aimed to improve the design of current workstations and evaluate the proposed design using virtual ergonomic assessment techniques. An anthropometric database for the Kolhapuri footwear making population was developed. This work measured 35 different body dimensions of the footwear manufacturing artisans. Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) was used for postural analysis of the artisans. It was observed that the entire footwear making activity was carried out in awkward postures. RULA scores suggested that 'a change in posture' to improve the efficiency of artisans was required for most of the workstations. This work proposed a novel workstation design to reduce the high risk of MSDs. The design was evaluated for thigh clearance, vision analysis and RULA analysis with the help of Digital Human Modelling (DHM). The virtual ergonomics assessment of this design revealed that the vision, thigh clearances, and RULA scores were satisfactory in the new design. The anthropometric database proposed in this study is likely to be useful in designing Kolhapuri footwear manufacturing tools. The proposed workstation and work layout are helpful to improve the accessibility of required tools and materials to footwear workers. It also helps to reduce occupational risks by easing uncomfortable work positions.

Anthropometric Measurement and Comparative Analysis of Ethiopian Army Personnel Across Age, Ethnicity, and Nationality

The anthropometric characteristics of the users depend upon the topography, nutrition, age, ethnicity, gender, and living conditions, and play a crucial role in the design of the equipment and the workspace to be used by them. This study aims to establish an anthropometry database for male Ethiopian army personnel and investigate the anthropometric variability across ethnicity, age, and with other countries, with the intention to facilitate ergonomic design and development of various facilities (e.g., equipment/ devices, and workspaces) for the Ethiopian army. Following the reliability assessment of the physical measurement technique, the anthropometric data from 250 Ethiopian male army personnel (four different ethnic groups at different age levels) were collected, and normality of the data set was tested. The anthropometric database of Ethiopian army personnel in terms of range, mean, standard deviation, percentile values (5th, 50th, and 95th) was documented. PCA was applied to select a smaller representative by reducing a larger set of variables for further statistical analysis and applications. ANOVA and follow-up posthoc test (Tukey’s HSD test) were carried out to compare anthropometric differences among different age groups and ethnic variations. The mean anthropometric differences were also compared with databases from other countries (India, Korea, and USA) using t-test. Significant variations were found when the anthropometry was compared between age, ethnicity, and cross-nationals. The findings indicate that variations in age, ethnicity, and geographical factors could have a significant impact on the ergonomic design of equipment and workspaces of Ethiopian army personnel.

Body-size-dependent phantom library constructed from ICRP mesh-type reference computational phantoms

Recently, ICRP Task Group 103 developed new mesh-type reference computational phantoms (MRCPs) for the adult male and female by converting the current voxel-type reference computational phantoms (VRCPs) of ICRP Publication 110 into a high-quality/fidelity mesh format. Utilizing the great deformability/flexibility of the MRCPs compared with the VRCPs, in the present study, we established a body-size-dependent phantom library by modifying the MRCPs. The established library includes 108 adult male and 104 adult female phantoms in different standing heights and body weights, covering most body sizes representative of Caucasian and Asian populations. Ten secondary anthropometric parameters with respect to standing height and body weight were derived from various anthropometric databases and applied in the construction of the phantom library. An in-house program for automatic phantom adjustment was developed and applied for practical construction of such a large number of phantoms in the library with minimized human intervention. Organ/tissue doses calculated with three male phantoms in different standing heights (165, 175, and 190 cm) with a fixed body weight of 80 kg for external exposures to broad parallel photon beams from 0.01 to 104 MeV were compared, observing there are significant dose differences particularly for the photon energies <0.1 MeV in which the organ/tissue doses tended to increase with increasing standing height. In addition, the organ/tissue doses of three female phantoms in different body weights (45, 65, and 140 kg) with a fixed standing height of 165 cm were compared, showing a significant decreasing tendency with increasing body weight for the photon energies <10 MeV. For the higher energies, the opposite trend, interestingly, was observed; that is, the organ/tissue doses tended to increase with increasing body weight. The results, despite the limited number of exposure cases, suggest that the use of the body-size-dependent phantom library can improve the accuracy of individual dose estimates for many retrospective dosimetry studies by taking the body size of individuals into account.

Applied anthropometry for common industrial settings design: Working and ideal manual handling heights

Anthropometry has been used extensively for designing safe and sustainable products and workplaces. However, it is common that designers need straightforward guidelines and dimensions, which they often lack, for specific design situations. Anthropometric data are usually presented in tables that summarize percentile values, separated by gender, of a specific population, which makes it difficult for designers to generate applications for mixed populations, such as industrial settings. Using a recently collected anthropometric database of Chilean workers (male and female), international standards of dimensions for working height, depth, and ideal manual handling height are tested with univariate and bivariate methods. Alternative dimensions are presented for both adjustable and non-adjustable designs. Additionally, procedures to combine samples, and for knowing how many users match with a particular design are explained using the sample data. As expected, adjustable designs proved to match with higher numbers of users, while non-adjustable dimensions recommended by ISO presented low levels of matching. Furthermore, the non-adjustable design achieved 83% of matching, which increased to the desired levels (90%) with the inclusion of a 50 mm increase platform. Finally, the Z-Score equation proved to be a useful tool to know the percentages of the population that are matched with a particular design dimension. Relevance for the industryDimensions for working height, depth, and ideal manual handling heights, which are currently not available, are provided for Chilean workers. A method to determine the matching percentage in a population is explained, in order to assess matching probabilities when having only summarized anthropometric tables and the dimensions for the design itself.

Comparison of univariate and multivariate anthropometric design requirements methods for flight deck design application

Designing aircraft cockpits to accommodate the wide range of body sizes and shapes existing in the world population has always been a difficult problem for crew station engineers. There is no consensus on the best method for obtaining measurements for body forms that statistically represent the variation within a population. The aim of this research is to compare the two most commonly used anthropometric approaches for dimension specification and flight deck design: the boundary cases multivariate and the percentile univariate. The multivariate approach captured more subjects than the percentile approach (p < .05) for all accommodation assessments using Brazilian Air Force pilots’ anthropometry, but was not as effective as had been suggested in the literature. This study showed that the Boundary Cases Multivariate Method was better at evaluating design criteria for cockpit accommodation than the Percentile Univariate Method for accommodation of the central 90% envelope for the Brazilian Air Force crew application. Practitioner summary: The findings show that the Multivariate Boundary Cases approach can better provide anthropometric limits for the desired accommodation level when multiple body dimensions need to be simultaneously considered in a design. It will help researchers, designers, and engineers to solve complex design situations, make improved judgement and take right decisions. Abbreviations: FAR: federal aviation regulation; CS: certification specification; FAA: federal aviation administration; EASA: European union aviation safety agency; EMB: embraer; FAB: Brazilian Air Force; CAD: computer-aided design; MAM: multivariate anthropometric method; USAF: United States Air Force; PCA: principal component analysis; PC: principal component; JSF: joint strike fighter; NATO: North atlantic treaty organization; ISO: International Organization for Standardization; BPAD: Brazilian pilots anthropometric database; RD: radial distance; Error = A-E: error = achieved – expected; SPSS: statistical package for the social sciences; IBM Corp.: International business machines corporation; Acr. Ht, st: acromion height, sitting; But-kn lgt: buttock-knee length; Eye Ht, sit: eye height, sitting; Knee Ht, sit: knee height, sitting; Sitting Ht: sitting height; Thumbtip rch: thumbtip reach; Accom %: accommodated percentage; Af, Am, …, Zf, Zm: cases A-D and W-Z (“f” for female subjects and “m” for male subjects); T: trainer; A: atack; KC: anker and cargo; F: fighter; NG-BR: new generation - Brasil; PPE: personal protective equipment

Development of Anthropometric Database for ASEAN NCAP: A Case Study of Malaysian Children Aged 6 Years Old

&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; With the rapid growth of human populations throughout the globe, physical characteristics of human body composition may have significant variation, particularly in height and weight. Access to this information is vital for any product development programs, especially when it comes to safety aspects; hence it is particularly important to the New Car Assessment Program for Southeast Asian Countries (ASEAN NCAP) as the champion of vehicle safety in ASEAN region. This paper aims to describe the development of anthropometric database for ASEAN NCAP. Tasks such as identification of important anthropometric parameters, methodology of measurement and data analysis are explained. A total of 42 anthropometric parameters were measured using direct measuring methods; however only 8 parameters are discussed in this paper. As a case study, a total of 143 Malaysian children aged 6 years old have participated in the anthropometric measurement activity. Statistical information including the mean, standard deviation, 5th percentile, 50th percentile and 95th percentile for each parameter for various body dimensions were tabulated. The collected data and mean of 42 parameters are utilised further for the development of digital 3D-models (using SolidWorks) of the Malaysian children aged 6 years old.&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D;

A virtual e-bespoke men's shirt based on new body measurements and method of pattern drafting

Customization is prevailing in the apparel industry with increasing requirements from consumers and the popularization of new technologies. This study aimed to establish the novel approach of applying existing and new body measurements to customize the pattern block of a men's shirt, to enrich the anthropometric database, and to develop the fit evaluation procedure. New body measurements were extracted from 156 scanned male mesh bodies in accordance with the morphological features and developing method of pattern block sketching. Owing to these new body measurements, the customized shirt with assured high-level fit can be obtained by generating original patterns as bespoke, on the one hand, and by transforming ready-to-wear patterns, on the other hand. The first way is e-bespoke tailoring that utilizes the developed schedule of body morphological features, improved shirt pattern of desired style (body fit, slim fit, regular fit, and comfort fit), and virtual try-on software CLO 3D. The proposed method of virtual e-bespoke design allows readily completing a well-fitted and balanced men's shirt, which will contribute to the efficiency of customization and quality of end-products for the apparel industry.

Simulation model of the morphological field of data for constructing a universal design of trousers

The reported research into the influence of a database on the processes of universal design formation has established a mechanism for the interactive application of clusters of size-based attributes. It has been proven that the typological series of a structural size characterizes a conditional standard body figure of the youth type. This has made it possible to determine the mobility of structural zones in accordance with the morphological features of a body structure at the stages of forming the base for a design. Our experimental study has confirmed that the boundaries of functional sections in the grouping of structural zones are governed by the variability of gains by the basic structural points. That leads to the poly-variance of the pelvic section when forming properties for the proportionality of trousers. Specifically, it has been established that due to identifying the similarity of structures based on a scaling ratio, the adequacy of a database is improved by coordinating the information base for constructing structural zones. This allows us to assert the reliability of the mechanism that forms clusters within an anthropometric database, as well as practical attractiveness of the proposed interactive design technology. It has been shown that the variance in gains ensures decomposition of the closed contour of a part at the points of change in functional sections, which is the advantage of the current research. We have shown the prospects for extending the range of morphological types based on the age-trait biodynamics of functional movements. Thus, there are grounds to assert the possibility of targeted control over the processes that form a universal design by employing an integrated database that combines the clusters of size-based attributes, gains, as well as a structural zones nomenclature

English

Automobile is one of the primary modes of worldwide transport system, which must offer highest level of health, safety and comfort levels for the occupants inside. Health, safety and comfort of any moving vehicle and its human occupants are mainly characterized by the level of the vibration generated inside the human body. With the development of modern computer based technologies, over last few decades computerized simulations have been gaining huge importance to anticipate the level of vibration generated inside the automotive seated human body. Many simulation based research works had been conducted in past to predict the effect of vibration inside automotive-human assembly, though one of the key parameters to define the simulation set up, namely stiffness values of different human segments; had been collected from past relevant research studies or available testing data resources, which overlooked the real shapes and sizes of the human portions, hence, lacking the practical feasibility. In this research paper, a simplified car seated human made of ellipsoidal segments has been proposed. The segmental dimensions and masses have been extracted from anthropometric database and later, the formulations for composite fibre-matrix configuration have been implemented. A systematic approach has been outlined to evaluate the three-dimensional stiffness values for all the human portions. The obtained stiffness values have been validated by comparing to the data obtained from similar kind of investigations and test results.

A data-driven classification of 3D foot types by archetypal shapes based on landmarks.

The taxonomy of foot shapes or other parts of the body is important, especially for design purposes. We propose a methodology based on archetypoid analysis (ADA) that overcomes the weaknesses of previous methodologies used to establish typologies. ADA is an objective, data-driven methodology that seeks extreme patterns, the archetypal profiles in the data. ADA also explains the data as percentages of the archetypal patterns, which makes this technique understandable and accessible even for non-experts. Clustering techniques are usually considered for establishing taxonomies, but we will show that finding the purest or most extreme patterns is more appropriate than using the central points returned by clustering techniques. We apply the methodology to an anthropometric database of 775 3D right foot scans representing the Spanish adult female and male population for footwear design. Each foot is described by a 5626 × 3 configuration matrix of landmarks. No multivariate features are used for establishing the taxonomy, but all the information gathered from the 3D scanning is employed. We use ADA for shapes described by landmarks. Women’s and men’s feet are analyzed separately. We have analyzed 3 archetypal feet for both men and women. These archetypal feet could not have been recovered using multivariate techniques.

Reference data on in vitro anatomy and indentation response of tissue layers of musculoskeletal extremities

The skin, fat, and muscle of the musculoskeletal system provide essential support and protection to the human body. The interaction between individual layers and their composite structure dictate the body’s response during mechanical loading of extremity surfaces. Quantifying such interactions may improve surgical outcomes by enhancing surgical simulations with lifelike tissue characteristics. Recently, a comprehensive tissue thickness and anthropometric database of in vivo extremities was acquired using a load sensing instrumented ultrasound to enhance the fidelity of advancing surgical simulations. However detailed anatomy of tissue layers of musculoskeletal extremities was not captured. This study aims to supplement that database with an enhanced dataset of in vitro specimens that includes ultrasound imaging supported by motion tracking of the ultrasound probe and two additional full field imaging modalities (magnetic resonance and computed tomography). The additional imaging datasets can be used in conjunction with the ultrasound/force data for more comprehensive modeling of soft tissue mechanics. Researchers can also use the image modalities in isolation if anatomy of legs and arms is needed.