ESTIMATING BODY DIMENSIONS
Measurement units are given as proportions of the person’s Height (H) in
meters.
Since it is related to height (H), we should note that height changes with age.
Children grow older and older people shrink.
But child growth differs between the genders. Note that in younger age, females
grow faster than males, but males grow overall.
The size of different body parts is strongly related to a person’s height. Taller
people tend to have longer arms and vice versa, though this is not always the
case.
PREDICTING THE SEGMENT MASS OF THE HUMAN BODY
Table 2.3 shows the regression equations developed by NASA, along with the
standard error of the estimate, and the coefficient of determination. The masses
and weight are recorded in kilograms
ANTHROPOMETRIC PRINCIPLES IN WORKPLACE AND EQUIPMENT DESIGN
The word ‘anthropometry’ means measurement of the human body. It is derived from
the Greek words ‘anthropos’ (man) and ‘metron’ (measure). Anthropometric data are
used in ergonomics to specify the physical dimensions of workspaces, equipment,
furniture and clothing to ensure that physical mismatches between the dimensions of
equipment and products and the corresponding user dimensions are avoided.
Designing for a population of users
The first step in designing is to specify the user population and then to design to
accommodate as wide a range of users as possible – normally 90% of them. Well-
designed products acknowledge and allow for the inherent variability of the user
population.
In ergonomics, the word ‘population’ is used in a statistical sense and can refer to a
group of people sharing common ancestors, common occupations, common
geographical locations or age groups. A user population may consist of people from
different races (i.e. groups differing in their ancestry) or different ethnic groups (different
cultures, customs, language, and so on).
For design purposes, the criteria for deciding what constitutes a ‘population’ are
functional and are related directly to the problem at hand.
Factors influencing the change in body size of populations
There is a great deal of evidence to suggest that improved living conditions are
accompanied by an increase in body size.
Part of this in undoubtedly due to better diet and living conditions – better sanitation,
childhood immunisations, refrigerated transportation making available a year-round
supply of fresh food, and supplementation of dairy products and cereals with vitamin D.
Implications for Ergonomics
The concept of ‘Mr Average’ or an ideal body type will become increasingly invalid and
designers must expect users to be different from themselves. The structure of
populations and their living conditions are changing in many parts of the world. This
means that anthropometric data captured in the past may no longer be representative.
When designing for international markets, then, each target country has to be
considered separately. Anthropometric data should be used with caution, particularly if it
is old.
Anthropometry and its uses in ergonomics
The approach of ergonomics is to consider product dimensions in human terms in view
of the constraints placed on their design by body size variability. For example, a seat
should be no higher than the popliteal
height of a short user and no deeper than the distance from the buttocks to the knees.
Anthropometric Surveys
Traditionally, measurements are made using manually operated instruments such as
anthropometers and calipers.
Manually operated instruments (such as the ‘digital tape measure’) are used to capture
the measurements according to a user-programmed protocol. The data are
automatically digitised and downloaded to computer.
Anthropometers - an instrument that consists of a calibrated, vertical rod to which
are attached two horizontal arms, one fixed and one movable, for measuring the
human trunk and limbs.
Caliper - is a device used to measure the distance between two opposite sides of
an object. Many types of calipers permit reading out a measurement on a ruled
scale, a dial, or a digital display. But a caliper can be as simple as
a compass with inward or outward-facing points. (Wikipedia)
Types of Anthropometric Data
Structural anthropometric data are measurements of the
bodily dimensions of subjects in fixed (static) positions.
Measurements are made from one clearly identifiable
anatomical landmark to another or to a fixed point in space
(e.g. the height of the knuckles above the floor, the height
of the popliteal fossa (back of the knee) above the floor,
and so on).
The reader is advised to study the tables, looking in
particular for differences in body proportion between
different groups. For example, there is an approximately 100 mm stature difference
between US and Japanese males when standing. This decreases to between 5 and 25
mm in the seated position. When considering possible modifications to a vehicle to be
exported from one country to the other, the designer might, therefore, first pay attention
to the rake of the seat and position of the foot pedals, rather than to the height of the
roof.
Functional anthropometric data are
collected to describe the movement of a
body part with respect to a fixed reference
point. However, existing functional
anthropometric data are useful for
designing workspaces and positioning
objects within them, particularly in the design of aircraft cockpits, crane cabs, vehicle
interiors and complex control panels in the process industries.
Newtonian anthropometric data are used in mechanical analysis of the loads on the
human body. Newtonian data may be used to compare the load on the spine due to
different lifting techniques.
Anthropometry and PERSONAL SPACE
Psycho-anthropometry – are the volume of space regarded as personal territory and
the consequences of an invasion of this space by others
(Dabbs, 1971) Invasion of personal space and crowded conditions appear to be
stressful.
The degree of stress depends on the context, for example, invasion of personal
space in a library is much more stressful than in a crowded train or lift.
Personal space is another important consideration in addition to the purely
dimensional ones. Design decisions regarding the size and spacing of seats in public
areas, the proximity of desks and so on need to take account of people’s personal
space requirements and the particular social context. In the workplace, a minimum
separation of desks or benches of approximately 1.2 metres is thought to be necessary.
