Advancing Design Through the Creation and Visualization of Virtual Population Representing U.S. Civilians

Abstract

Visualization of the U.S. civilian population provides perspective on the variability of body size and shape, enabling designers and engineers to better understand the needs of their target users. This paper presents a virtual population of digital human models, representative of the U.S. civilian population, and the methods used to create it. It is based on the observed variability in stature, BMI, and waist circumference in the data from the 2007–2010 CDC NHANES survey. The NHANES data were used in conjunction with regression models to develop the required model parameters. The models were then presented such that the variability and distribution of variability in anthropometry can be easily seen.