Introduction:

Ergonomics is the new branch of science which started its journey in1949. It generally relies on research
on other carried out in many other established scientific areas like engineering, physics, psychology,
sociology, physiology. Evaluating the relationships between our bodies, tasks and surroundings is the
main purpose of ergonomics. It is used and applied to make life more comfortable at workstations and
adjust life at workstations and adjust life at workstations to fit the operator’s body and size. Ergonomics
is applied to relate between people and their health and safety. Ergonomics needs to use several
discipline to find out the best fit among, performance, data and requirement. For this purpose several
tools are used. Anthropometric measurement is one of them.[1]

Anthropometry, or anthropometrics, is the study of human body measurements. At its most basic,
anthropometrics is used to help scientists and anthropologists understand physical variations among
humans. Anthropometrics are useful for a wide array of applications, providing a kind of baseline for
human measurement. Ergonomics is the study of people's efficiency in their working environment.So
ergonomic design seeks to create the most efficient workplace while providing comfort for the people
within it. For the purposes of ergonomic design, anthropometrics offers information about the average
human build. This gives chair makers data they can use to devise more comfortable seating, for
example. Desk manufacturers can build desks that don't force workers to hunch in uncomfortable
positions, and keyboards can be designed to reduce the likelihood of repetitive stress injuries like carpal
tunnel syndrome. Ergonomic design extends beyond the average cubicle; every car on the street has
been built to accommodate the largest set of the population based on an anthropometric range. Data
about how long the average person's legs are and how most people sit while driving a vehicle can be
used to design a car that allows most drivers to reach the radio, for example.

Objectives:

The objectives are

1. To know how to perform anthropometrics measurements

2. To process the measurements so as to be useful
3. To apply the data in the design of workplace, workstations, tools, equipments to fit the human
body
Theory releated study:

Anthropometric measurements are used to assess the size, shape and composition of the human body.
These data is used to learn about common methods used to gather these measurements, such as BMI,
waist-to-hip ratio, skin-fold test and bioelectrical impedance. For this study these measurements were
required-

1. Stature 16. Popliteal height 29. Hand breadth

2. Eye height 17. Shoulder breadth (bi 30. Foot length

deltoid)
3. Shoulder height 31. Foot breadth
18. Shoulder breadth (bi
4. Elbow height acromial) 32. Span

5. Hip height 19. Hip breadth 33. Elbow span

6. Knuckle height 34. Vertical grip

20. Chest (bust) depth
reach(standing)
7. Fingertip height 21. Abdominal depth
35. Vertical grip
8. Sitting height 22. Shoulder-elbow length reach(sitting)
9. Sitting eye height
23. Elbow fingertip length 36. Forward grip reach
10. Sitting shoulder height 24. Upper limb length 37. Body weight
11. Sitting elbow height 25. Shoulder grip length
12. Thigh thickness 26. Head length
13. Buttock-knee length 27. Head breadth
14. Buttock-popliteal length 28. Hand length
15. Knee height

The figure of this measurements are given below-

Fig 1.Body measurements in sitting position [1]
 Fig 2. Body measurements in standing position [1]

Fig. 3. Body measurement in standing/sitting position. [1]

Working procedure:
To calculate the percentile value p,

𝑝 =𝑚+𝑘×𝑆

P = percentile value
m= mean value

S = standard deviation

k= factor

If the desired percentile, the factor has a positive sign and the product of K*S is added to the mean m; if
the p value is below 50th percentile, k is negative and the product K*S is subtracted from the mean m.
The equation for m –

∑𝑥
𝑚=
𝑛

m= mean value

x= sample value

n = total samples

The distribution of data is described by the equations-

∑(𝑥 − 𝑚)2
𝑆= √
𝑛

𝑚𝑧 = 𝑚𝑥 − 𝑚𝑦

𝑆𝑧 = √𝑆𝑧2 +𝑆𝑦2 − 2𝑟𝑆𝑥 𝑆𝑌

Tools and instruments:

1. Steel tape
2. Measuring tape
3. Scale
4. Chair
Result & Discussion:

This is the anthropometric measurements are of 25 students of IEM, KUET. All measurements were
taken in the evening. Subjects were barefooted, wearing t-shirts or shirts, and shorts or pants while the
measurements were taken. For the anthropometric data of Indonesians, the body weight and 35 body
dimensions were measured. The subjects were around 21 to 23 years old. This taken data were used to
find out the STDEV, SEM ,CV , percentile etc.

Dimensions Percentile
th
Minimum Maximum STDEV SEM CV 5 50th 95th
1. Stature 161 190.5 6.13 1.31 3.6 161.5 169.5 188.47
2. Eye height 148 180 6.85 1.46 4.3 148.3 158 178.2
3. Shoulder height 130 156 5.48 1.17 3.9 130.15 138 154
4. Elbow height 98 119 4.9 1.05 4.5 98 108 118.4
5. Hip height 75 101 6.48 1.38 7.2 75.15 90.5 100.55
6. Knuckle height 64 80 3.59 .766 4.9 64.3 74 89.7
7. Fingertip height 56 77 4.1 .87 6.4 56 64 75.5
8. Sitting height 68 97 6.82 1.45 8.2 68.15 83.5 96.55
9. Sitting eye height 64 87 5.41 1.15 7.4 64.15 73.5 86.1
10. Sitting shoulder height 40 62 5.7 1.21 10.5 40.15 56 61.7
11. Sitting elbow height 12 41 6.04 1.29 25.8 12.67 22.5 39.65
12. Thigh thickness 10 20 2.05 .438 14 10.3 14.75 19.85
13. Buttock-knee length 50 67 4.3 .917 8 50 53.25 66.4
14. Buttock-popliteal length 39 61 5.2 1.11 11.6 39 43.5 60.4
15. Knee height 48 59 2.83 .60 5.4 48.15 52 58.85
16. Popliteal height 40 49 2.18 .465 4.9 40.3 44.7 49
17. Shoulder breadth (bi 41 52 3.16 .674 7.2 41 43 52
deltoid)
18. Shoulder breadth (bi 26 40 3.7 .79 10.9 26.3 35 39.85
acromial)
19. Hip breadth 29 45 4.32 .92 12.1 29.3 35 44.85
20. Chest (bust) depth 14 45 6.95 1.48 33.5 14.15 18 42.9
21. Abdominal depth 16 34 4.59 .98 20.5 16.15 21.5 33.4
22. Shoulder-elbow length 30 37 1.92 .41 5.7 30 34 36.85
Dimensions Minimum Maximum STDEV SEM CV
23. Elbow fingertip length 42 50 1.75 .372 3.8 42.15 46 49.55
24. Upper limb length 71 87 4.49 .96 5.9 71.15 75.5 86.7
25. Shoulder grip length 55 69 3.69 .787 5.8 55.45 64 69
26. Head length 15 20 1.41 .3 7.9 15.15 18 20
27. Head breadth 14 22 1.55 .33 9.1 14.15 17 21.55
28. Hand length 17 20 .85 .181 4.6 17 18.5 20
29. Hand breadth 7.5 10 .71 .15 8.4 7.5 8 10
30. Foot length 23 27 1.05 .23 4.3 23 24.5 26.85
31. Foot breadth 9 13 .98 .21 10 9 10 12.85
32. Span 161 184 6.33 1.35 3.7 161.15 168.5 183.85
33. Elbow span 81 95 3.87 .82 4.5 81 85 94
34. Vertical grip 190 231 10.07 2.15 4.9 190.15 203 229.8
reach(standing)
35. Vertical grip 110 129 5.23 1.11 4.4 110.15 119 118.55
reach(sitting)
36. Forward grip reach 63 79 4.95 1.06 6.8 63.15 74 78.85
37. Body weight 57 106 12.39 2.64 17.9 57.15 66 104.8

Conclusion:

This was our first investigation in ergonomics and anthropometric measurements. The subjects willingly
participated in the study. During data collection, we tried to be precise and accurate. For future
reference and contact with the subject contact numbers of the subjects was given.

Reference:

[1] “Anthropometry of the Singaporean and Indonesian populations”- Tan Kay Chuan, Markus Hartono,
Naresh Kumar, ELSEVIER, Volume 40, Issue 6.