Anthropometry , Ergonomics

and Work design

Books
1. Introduction to ergonomics R.S. Bridger
2. Anthropometry Ergonomics and the Design of Work
Stepehn Pheasant Christine M. haslergrave
 Ergonomics
The study of people's efficiency in their working environment.

Physical Cognitive Sensory Organizational

Ergonomics Ergonomics Ergonomics Ergonomics
 Disciplines
Psychology
-Environmental
-Work

Ergonomics

Anatomy Physiology
Product -Anthropometry
- Cognitive
Ergonomics -biomechanics
-Work
Sensory Mechanics
-Social
What is anthropometry
• Anthropos = Human
• Metron = measure
• The comparative study of sizes and proportions of the human body
• Traditionally, used to design equipment, tools etc. for use when user
is constrained in posture (e.g. chairs/seats, workstations)
• More recently, being applied to design of computers that are worn
(wearables) or carried (portables)
Purpose
• To optimize the human product interaction with respect to comfort,
safety and efficiency.
Purpose
Purpose
• To optimize the human product interaction with respect to comfort,
safety and efficiency.
Stages involved in using anthropometric data
1. What are the important/relevant body dimensions?
2. What is the relevant population?
3. What principle should be followed?
• Design for extremes
• Design for adjustable range
• Design for average
Types of Anthropometric data
1. Structural anthropometric data  Structural anthropometric data
are measurements of the bodily dimensions of subjects in fixed (static)
positions. Measurements are made from one clearly identifiable
anatomical landmark to another or to a fixed point in space (e.g. the
height of the knuckles above the floor)
 Types of Anthropometric data
2. Functional Anthropometric Data  Functional anthropometric data
are collected to describe the movement of a body part with respect to
a fixed reference point.

Functional anthropometric data. The figure shows the shapes of the reach envelopes and the allowable (a) and
preferred (p) zones for the placement of controls in a workspace.
Types of Anthropometric data
3. Newtonian anthropometric data  Newtonian anthropometric
data are used in mechanical analysis of the loads on the human body.
Difference Views of Anthropometry
• 1D  Percentiles
• 2D  Ellipses
• 3D  We need a tool to describe the density in 3d space in the
context of man-product-interaction (fit)
• 4D  We need in tool to describe the changes in time of this fit
1-Dimensional Anthropometry (static)
• Measurements taken when body is in fixed (static) position
• Consist of:
1. skeletal dimensions (centers
of joints e.g. elbow & wrist)
2. contour dimensions (skin-surf.
dimensions e.g head circum.)
• NASA Anthropometric Source Book:
973 measurements from 91 worldwide surveys
• specific applications (helmets, earphones, gloves)
 Anthropometric Measuring Tools
Anthropometer
Tape

Medical scale
Sliding Calipers: large and

Spreading Caliper
small

18
Annotated List of Body Dimensions and Their
Definitions
• See table 2.4
Target population
• If we want to design a cab for bus drivers in Chile, we require
• data on the anthropometry of Chilean bus drivers. If we want to
design workspaces
• in private hospitals in Saudi Arabia, we need data about the European
and Australian nurses who usually work in them.
• As a rule of thumb, take the smallest female and the tallest male in
a population
• WHO 1995 : Minimum sample size should be 200
The Statistical Description of Human
Variability (chapter 2)
The Statistical Description of Human
Variability
• Data describing dimensions is analyzed as a statistical distribution
rather than a single value
• Most anthropometric variables conform quite closely to the normal
distribution (at least within reasonably homogeneous populations).

Percentile a value on a scale of 100 that

indicates the percent of a distribution that is
equal to or below it”

Example : at 10th percentile stature is 1650,

which means only 10 % population is below
this height.
CV : also known as relative
standard deviation (RSD), is
a standardized measure of
dispersion of a probability
distribution or frequency
distribution.
Percentile
• the 95th %ile stature for the general public might only be the 70th
%ile for a specially selected occupational group like the police force

• For example, suppose you have 25 test scores, and in order from
lowest to highest they look like this: 43, 54, 56, 61, 62, 66, 68, 69, 69,
70, 71, 72, 77, 78, 79, 85, 87, 88, 89, 93, 95, 96, 98, 99, 99. To find the
90th percentile for these (ordered) scores, start by multiplying 90%
times the total number of scores, which gives 90% ∗ 25 = 0.90 ∗ 25 =
22.5 (the index). Rounding up to the nearest whole number, you get
23.
Calculating the Percentile values for the body
dimensions
• A normal distribution is fully defined by its mean and standard
deviation. If these are known, any percentile may be calculated
without further reference to the raw data

𝑋𝑝 = (𝑋 ) + (𝑧)(𝑆𝐷)
Example:
British men have Mean stature = 1740 mm
SD = 70 mm
Calculate 90th Percentile
Examples
• The 90th %ile value of stature = 1740 + 70 x 1.28 = 1830 mm.

Calculate the 25th %ile male stature,

Mean stature = 1740 mm
SD = 70 mm
Answer = 1693 mm.
Effects of Deviation from a Normal
Distribution
Design Limits: Accommodation Provided by
a Design Decision
The advantage of such a
plot is that, since we may
read off percentiles directly,
it enables us to evaluate the
consequences of a design
decision in terms of the
percentage of users
accommodated
Design Constraints and Criteria

Clearance Reach Posture Strength

Environments Reach Limitations of
must provide constraints strength impose
adequate determine the a one-way
access and maximum constraint, and it
circulation acceptable is sufficient to
space e.g dimension of determine the
level of force
handles uses the object.
that is
95% ile e.G visual acceptable to a
displayes 5% ile weak user 5th
Methods of Analysis Design Problem
1. Fitting Trials
2. Analytical Application of the Method of Limits
3. Body Link Diagram
Fitting
MethodsTrials
of Analysis Design Problem
1. A fitting trial is an experimental study in which a sample of subjects
use an adjustable mock-up of a workstation in order to make
judgments as to whether a particular dimension is ‘too big’, ‘too small’
or ‘just right’.
Example lectern Design
2. Analytical Application of the Method of
Limits
• this technique is a model or analogue of the fitting trial, in which
anthropometric criteria and data are used as substitutes for the
subjective judgments of real people.
3. Body Link Diagram
• Another way of analyzing a workplace layout to accommodate a range
of people of different sizes is by using a body link diagram.
Seat Design Assignment