Development and application of portable manual non-contact-type anthropometric instruments for measuring human anatomical longitudinal parameters

Abstract

Several contact-type anthropometric instruments have been previously established for use in population surveys that contribute to the construction of anthropometric databases. Manual anthropometric measurements need to comply with or fulfill the following conditions: anatomical landmarks (term, location, and detecting method); measuring methods (item and subject's posture); five contact-type instruments (anthropometer, large sliding caliper, sliding caliper, spreading caliper, and tape measure); and well-trained examiners. Here, two manual non-contact-type portable anthropometric instruments were developed for measuring small regions such as the head and for larger regions such as the trunk of the human body, and for obtaining anatomical longitudinal parameters (length, height, breadth, and depth) based on the principle of projection by spot irradiation using laser markers. A new landmark-detecting method, based on the idea of visual landmarks, was proposed instead of the conventional palpation method (direct feeling with fingers), which was not appropriate for a non-contact measuring system. The accuracy of each instrument was tested using industrial tools, and performance was compared with contact-type instruments using a skeletal model (four measurements), a free posture manikin (eight measurements), and the healthy human body (five males and five females; nine measurements). Measurement errors and visual inspection to detect landmarks were discussed. The instruments show applicability to non-contact anthropometry. © 2011 Japan Society of Physiological Anthropology.