Suchergebnisse

The anthropometric elderly, arbitrarily defined as those 65 years of age and above, are a distinct subgroup with special human factors needs. They are significantly smaller in stature and in many other body dimensions than the general population. This smaller size results both from the secular trend (people are currently growing taller and larger than in the past) and from various biological changes inherent in the aging process. Weight and certain other dimensions are less age-affected, however, except at more advanced ages. Existing information on the anthropometry of the elderly is reviewed, and tabular data are presented on selected "human engineering" dimensions. Additional, more comprehensive, functional anthropometric data are needed for this population.

A large amount of information on the body size of United States Army personnel, both men and women, has been collected during several anthropometric surveys carried out between 1946 and 1977. Changes in the body site of Army men between 1946 and 1966 and of Army women between 1946 and 1977 may be examined in an analysis of these anthropometric data. The data also may be utilized to define the contrasts in body size between Army men and women for application in the design and sizing of clothing and in the human engineering of equipment and materiel intended for use by both Army men and women.

Recent studies of the anthropometry and selected biomechanical characteristics of hands are summarized. These include: (1) conventional anthropometry of male and female hands, (2) the anthropometry of the relaxed hand, (3) comparison of certain engineering anthropometric and performance parameters between bare and pressure-gloved hands, and (4) the ability to retain grips on selected handles under high dynamic loads. The utility of these data for human factors engineering is discussed.