Measurement consistency and three-dimensional electromechanical anthropometry

Two pilot studies investigated potential sources of error in static human body surface measurement for conventional anthropometry methods and three-dimensional electromechanical methods under different experimental conditions. In the first pilot study, two anthropometrists measured Humeral breadth, Radiale-Stylion length and Wrist breadth of a cadaveric arm repeatedly in nearly nude and lightly clothed conditions with conventional and electromechanical approaches in two separate, repeated measurement sessions. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) performed on these measurements demonstrated significant differences across measurers, methods, the interaction between measurer and clothing, and the interaction between measurer and methods, suggesting systematic error contributions for these variables. ANOVA performed on the standard deviation of data for each anthropometric dimension showed differences across methods and clothing conditions, demonstrating differences in measurement consistency for these variables. In the second pilot study, measurement consistency was evaluated for the conventional and electromechanical methods for anthropometric measurements of ten wheelchair users who were clothed and not capable of maintaining erect seated postures for the measurement session. The measurement consistencies for repeated measurements of acromion height, biacromial breadth, eye height, knee height and waist depth obtained with each method were compared to established standards. ANOVA showed differences between methods and measurers for some of the anthropometric dimensions, although the magnitude of the differences was relatively small. Relatively low variability in measurements within method for each dimension within condition was found in both studies. This suggests that conventional dimensions recorded with three-dimensional electromechanical approaches can be measured consistently, at least for the anthropometric dimensions and experimental conditions considered in these studies.