Anthropometry (human size)

Competency Group: Universal Design

Type: Design

Description: Anthropometric data sets represent a range of physical sizes of people (and their body segments) in a measured population. They show size dimensions for people according to age and gender. Size information about people is very useful in design as it gives target dimensions for a potential user base.

Citation for Description: Described by authors

Units: Quantitative data for design applications

Advantages: After user group has been identified design specifications can be taken directly from the database.

Limitations: If the group is very specialized with very specific needs — some of this information can be misleading.

Target Audience: Marketing, Engineering and R&D

Relevant to Universal Design: Yes

Stages and Steps: 1.2, 2.1, 2.2, 4.2, 4.3, 4.11, 5.1 

Free Resource: My Anthro Itunes application (app) http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/myanthro-basic/id303465843?mt=8

Purchase Resource: Open Ergonomics. (n.d.). Visual Anthropometry Software. Retrieved from http://www.openerg.com/index.htm

Purchase Resource: Sammie CAD.(n.d.). HADRIAN (Human Anthropometric Data Requirements Investigation and ANalysis). Retrieved from http://www.lboro.ac.uk/microsites/lds/sammie/reshad.htm