Design Tool: myAnthro iPhone app

Basic spatial analyses using anthropometry are fundamental to ergonomics and human factors assessments and many engineering design problems. myAnthro-Basic estimates body segment lengths using a simple technique called "proportionality constants". These are the average ratio of a given body segment length to stature. Users can enter a stature (height) in millimeters or inches or select from some predefined percentile values taken from two populations (ANSUR and NHANES). The ANSUR data were collected from U.S. military personnel in 1988. The NHANES data are for the general U.S. population, from 2003-2006.

The tool will tell you "on average" how long a given body segment is for a particular height. Since two people of the same height are not required to have exactly the same arm, leg, and other segment lengths, this is a helpful tool for exploring relationships. This particular implementation uses the Drillis and Contini (1966) proportionality constants and assumes that the segments are defined by bony landmarks. The particular landmarks corresponding to a specific measure are available by selecting that measure in the app.

This is an ideal tool for undergraduate Industrial Engineering design homework requiring the use of proportionality constants.