Anthropometry

ANTHROPOMETRY

Study on human body dimensions-

Height, length, breadth, depth, strength, speed and

range of motions.

ANTHROPOMETRY

Reference: 16, pp. III-79; NASA-STD-3000 261 (Rev A)

Figure: Anatomical and Anthropometric Landmarks

• Static Anthropometry

• Dynamic Anthropometry

ANTHROPOMETRY

Static Anthropometry

Taken when human body is in rigid standardized body

positions.

* Sitting position

* Standing position

ANTHROPOMETRY

Dynamic Anthropometry

Taken when human body is in motion.

* Strength

* Speed

* Range of motions.

ANTHROPOMETRY

STANDING

Height: The Vertical distance from the floor to the

top of the head; subject stands erect, looking straight

ahead.

Application: Designing of doors, passageways,

personal protective equipment, etc.

STATIC ANTHROPOMETRY

STANDING

Eye height: Vertical distance from the floor to the

outer corner (external canthus) of the eye, subject

standing erect and looking straight ahead.

Application: Workspace Layout; Equipment design: for

optimum vision range of workspace, design of control

panel.


STANDING

Waist height: The vertical distance from the

standing surface to the waist landmark. The subject

stands erect and looks straight ahead.

Application: Sizing of clothing and PPE;

workspace layout; equipment design, height of work

surface for standing operation.


STANDING HEIGHT

Elbow: Most proximal point of the olecranon-tip ofthe ulna

Application: Workspace layout; equipment design,

control positioning at work surface for standing

operation.


BREADTHS, DEPTHS AND LENGTHS

(Horizontal distances between two points)

Span: Maximum horizontal distance between the middle fingertips when both the arms are stretched out fully sideways perpendicular to the trunk.

Span akimbo: Maximum horizontal distance between the tips of the elbows when both the upper arms are stretched out sideways perpendicular to the trunk and the elbows are fully flexed so that the tips of the middle finger of both the hands touch each other.


BREADTHS, DEPTHS AND LENGTHS

(Horizontal distances between two points)

Maximum body breadth, relaxed: maximum horizontal distance across the body including arms hanging relaxed at sides.


SITTING

Height: The vertical distance from the sitting

surface to the top of the head. The subject sits

erect, looking straight ahead, with upper arms

vertical at sides, forearm extended horizontally and

knees and ankles right angles.

Application: Distance between the seat

surface and any overhead structure

or object of the seated operator.


SITTING

Eye height: The vertical distance from the sitting

surface to the outer corner (external canthus) of the

eye. The subject sits erect and looks straight ahead,

with upper arms vertical at sides, forearm extended

horizontally and knees and ankles forming right

angles.

Application: Workspace layout; control panel.


SITTING

Knee height: The vertical from the floor to the

uppermost point on the knee. The subject sits erect

with knees and ankles at right angles.

Application: Distance between the floor, footrest

or foot control and the derside of a table etc.


SITTING

Popliteal height (seat height): Vertical distance from floor

to underside of the thigh just behind the knee; subject

sitting erect with knees and ankles at right angles and

with underside of lower thigh and back of knees clearly

touching the seating surface.

Application: Workspace layout, seat height design.


SITTING

Lumbar height: Vertical distance from seat surface to

maximum inward deflection of the vertebral column;

subject sitting erect with upper arms vertical at sides

and forearms extended horizontally.

Application: Back support for a seated operator.


SITTING

Elbow height: The vertical distance from the sitting surface to the bottom of the elbow. The subject sits erect with his upper arms hanging relaxed and forearm at right angle to upper arm.

Application: Design of armrest of a chair.


SITTING

Thigh clearance: The vertical distance from the sitting

surface to the highest point on the thigh. The subject

sits erect with knees and ankles at right angles.

Application: Distance between the seat surface

and the underside of a worktable, steering wheel etc.


Graph representing the density function of the Normal probability

distribution is also known as a Normal Curve or a Bell Curve.

USE OF PERCENTILE DATA

PERCENTILE

“Percentiles are the statistical values of a distribution of variables transferred into a hundred scale”

Or

If 100 men are lined up from least to greatest in any respect, percentiles are values corresponding to each man


PERCENTILE

p = m + k * S

p = percentile

m = mean

k = factor

S = Std deviation


Percentile Factor k

5th -1.64

25th -0.67

50th 0

75th 0.67

95th 1.64


Dynamic Anthropometrics - Reach

Reach envelope (kinetosphere) influenced by:

• Posture: sitting to standing.

• Foot base: increased reach with increased

foot base.

• Weight in hands: heavy weight decreases

reach.

Structural

Anthropometric

Data

- skeletal dimensions: between

anatomical landmarks

- contour dimensions: skin surface

- vary due to age, sex, ethnicity

Functional

Anthropometric

Data

- extremities: reaches, lengths

- trunk: rotation, angle

- hands: functional movements

Newtonian

Anthropometric

Data

- body segment mass

- forces that can be exerted in different

tasks/postures

Types of Anthropometric Data

Functional Anthropometry

Static anthropometry applied to ranges

Clearance:

Minimum value to ensure there is enough space for the

user, eg, knee room when seated at a work point.

Generally 95th percentile value.

Reach:

Maximum value to ensure users can reach, eg, location

of objects on a work surface. Generally 5th percentile

value.

Range:

Adjustable range to suit a range of ideal user

preferences, eg chair height. Generally 5th – 95th

percentile range

Newtonian Anthropometry

Anthropometry

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