Anthropometric Shape Analysis Strategy for Design of Personalwear

Abstract

The diversity of morphologies may be a source of annoyance to the designer of personal equipment. For those involved in design problems, the user population seems to have considerable variability in the size and shape of body parts. However, traditionally available anthropometric data provides only the independent value for each measurement with no information on the shapes of the contours and curvatures. This type of data appears to be insufficient for the design of personal equipment such as shoes, helmets, or a guard for a specific body part. Therefore, interfacing any human body part and equipment should begin with the objective knowledge of the full range of body sizes and shapes. The size variability can be tackled by developing fitting schemes by covering segments of a multivariate normal population. The main difficulty is apprehending the anatomical shapes and their variation relative to three dimensional space. Further, for offering the proper fit, it becomes imperative that variability in such anatomical shapes be incorporated in the design. This paper describes the shape analysis strategy which should be useful in approximating non-linear dimensions of human body part for design. The method is illustrated by selecting the curvatures along a foot outline. The curvatures are defined as a set of discrete points and then analyzed by statistical and numerical methods for arriving at an optimized shape. The shape differences and similarities within and between the two methods are examined graphically and discussed. Results show that the technique of integrating the fitting scheme and anatomical shape approximation describes the human body shapes in geometric terms with moderate accuracy.

Sizing and fit of fall-protection harnesses

“…3-D shape characteristics: Fit can be defined as a function of the interface between the body and the object being worn. Researchers studying fit have correlated the fit of a product or garment with the wearer's anthropometry (Yavatkar 1993, Pensotti et al 1995, Gordon et al 1997, Bradtmiller and Capecci 1997. These studies have generally been aimed at improving the product or re-sizing the product so that it will either fit better, or fit a greater range of people.…”

Automated side‐seam placement from 3D body scan data

“…Three‐dimensional (3D) body scan data provides a wealth of information about the body that can be used in anthropometric studies to quantify the range and variation of the population, in custom fit patternmaking to create personalized patterns for individuals, and in mass customization and size selection operations to identify appropriate sizes for the individual from a range of choices (DesMarteau, 2000; Fallon, 1999; Haisley, 2002; Hye, 1999; Incremona, 1996; Robinette, 2000; Size USA, 2004; Size UK, 2004; Staples et al , 1994). Researchers are experimenting with many different ways to generate custom‐fitted patterns (Hinds et al , 1992; Vollinger, 1998; Winakor et al , 1990; Yavatkar, 1993). For each of these uses, it is necessary to identify landmarks on the body that correspond to traditional patternmaking locations for apparel.…”