Three-dimensional face shape analysis of French adults, and its application to the design of protective equipment

Abstract

The study's aim was to identify female and male face shape variability in order to establish typical profiles for the design of masks. A specific data acquisition photogrammetric station was used for this purpose. A preliminary survey using anthropometric techniques was conducted on 301 females and 208 males, randomly selected from the French military population, in order to constitute two samples of 30 males and 30 females for the stereometric survey. For each subject, the stereorestitution of face photos was made on three sets of data: (1) 37 anatomical landmarks previously identified by a black point marked on the face; (2) 7 anatomical arcs, also drawn with a black pencil; and (3) 1500-2000 points distributed on horizontal cross-sections at different vertical levels. The analysis only concerned the global face shape, and excluded the central area (eyes, nose and mouth). A common origin and reference axis system was defined. All the three-dimensional (3D) produced data was processed using computer-aided design software, after some adaptations. Subjects were selected iteratively for five levels of cross-section and three anatomical arcs so as to characterize least variation amplitudes, subject by subject. Five groups were identified. All cross-sections were verified to check the validity of the preceding step. By this method, each group was defined by a mean profile form and by the amplitude of this form for each point of the profile. Males and females were present in each group, and for each group, a greater variability was noted at the lower part of the face. This variability can be explained as the result of morphological and functional phenomena. These results can be applied to the design of new protective equipment for the fore-face indeed they were used for the design of a new mask for the French military.

Accuracy, precision and reliability in anthropometric surveys for ergonomics purposes in adult working populations: A literature review

“…Examples of exclusions are Salamat et al (2015), Sett and Sahu (2016) and Gabbett (2005). Studies that presented exclusively 3D or photography methods to collected data were also excluded, such as the examples of the works from Barroso et al (2005) and Coblentz et al (1991). In cases where manual methods where used together with other 3D methods or digitizing arms, the paper was included, and that was the case of the paper by Hsiao et al (2014).…”

Applied anthropometry for common industrial settings design: Working and ideal manual handling heights

“…Working spaces and tools need to be suited to the end user's anthropometric dimensions in order to obtain healthy and productive working places (Marras and Kim, 1993;Pheasant and Haslegrave, 2006;Pheasant and Steenbekkers, 2005), but additionally adapting the design to the end user's anthropometry enhances sustainability, mainly because this reduces raw material consumption, increases usage lifetime and incorporates ethical human resource considerations into design (Nadadur and Parkinson, 2013). Several applications of anthropometry are reflected in a variety of reports and applications such as school furniture (Castellucci et al, 2016;Castellucci et al, 2014, Castellucci et al, 2015aMokdad and Al-Ansari, 2009), agricultural tools (Dewangan et al, 2010;Syuaib, 2015bSyuaib, , 2015a, car assembly (Castellone et al, 2017), personal protective equipment (Choi et al, 2009;Coblentz et al, 1991;Hsiao, 2013;Laing et al, 1999;K. M. Robinette and Branch, 2008;Stirling, 2005;Vergara et al, 2019), public transport seats (Molenbroek et al, 2017;Porta et al, 2019), domestic settings (Dawal et al, 2015) and even space shuttles and suits (NASA, 1978).…”