Human head 3D dimensions measurement for the design of helmets

Abstract

With the helmet systems becoming increasingly complex, head 3D dimensions are needed for the higher precision, but the traditional anthropometry could not meet the design accuracy. In this paper, a non-contact method of head 3D dimensions measurement was presented to improve the design accuracy of helmets. The boundary 3D coordinate data of head slice was extracted from DICOM images based on the MRI technology. The mathematical model of head slice was described through 2D and 3D coordinate systems. Then we adopted the Fourier transform to fit the boundary of slice and obtained a parameter model with a series of Fourier coefficients. The standard headforms was constructed based on the characteristic slices and nine standard headforms were divided by Head Breadth-length Index and Head Height-length Index in order to preserve analogous facial characteristics. The head 3D data measured by this approach had been applied to the design of helmets. © 2009 Springer Berlin Heidelberg.