Anthropometry
An Introduction
Lecture Module
FK Unsri
2008
“Stretch of the Measuring”
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, 1779
Stadiometer
What is Anthropometry?
 Greek
 Anthro- : man
 -pometry: measurements
 Literal meaning: “measurement of humans”
 The study of measurements or proportions
of the human body according to sex, age,
etc. for identification purposes
 Dimensions of bones, muscles, and adipose (fat)
tissues
History of Anthropometry
 1883- Alphonse Bertillon: system of
identification depending on the
unchanging character of certain
measurements of parts of the human
body
 1884: 241 multiple offenders were
identified
 “Bertillonage”- first adapted by the French
police
 1887: introduced in the United States by
Major McClaughry, the translator of
Bertillon's book, when he was the warden
of the Illinois State Penitentiary at Joliet.
Alphonse Bertillon: Forensic
Anthropometry
History of Anthropometry
 1888: Francis Galton starts research
on “Finger Prints” to further
anthropometry
 1892: Francis Galton publishes Finger
Prints
 1894: England adopted the system.
 1903: Will West & William West
Galton’s Discovery because of
Anthropometry?
“My attention was first drawn to the ridges in 1888 when
preparing a lecture on Personal Identification for the Royal
Institution, which had for its principal object an account of the
anthropometric method of Bertillon, then newly introduced into
the prison administration of France. Wishing to treat the subject
generally, and having a vague knowledge of the value
sometimes assigned to finger marks, I made inquiries, and
was surprised to find, both how much had been done, and how
much there remained to do, before establishing their theoretical
value and practical utility.
Enough was then seen to show that the subject was of real
importance, and I resolved to investigate it; all the more so,
as the modern processes of photographic printing would enable
the evidence of such results as might be arrived at, to be
presented to the reader on an enlarged and easily legible form,
and in a trustworthy shape. Those that are put forward in the
following pages, admit of considerable extension and
improvement, and it is only the fact that an account of them
seems useful, which causes me to delay no further before
submitting what has thus far been attained, to the criticism of
others.”
Excerpt from Galton’s Finger Prints
Applications of Anthropometry
 Identification of repeated criminals
 Cesare Lombroso's Criminal Anthropology (1895):
“murderers have prominent jaws and pickpockets
have long hands and scanty beards”.
 Eugene Vidocq: identification of criminals by facial
characteristics
 Prevention of impersonation
 Differentiation between the races
 Eugenics in Europe
 Aryans from Jews: The Bureau for Enlightenment on
Population Policy and Racial Welfare recommended the
classification of Aryans and non-Aryans on the basis of
measurements of the skull and other physical features,
“craniometric” certification, required by law. The
consequences for not meeting requirements included
denial of permission to marry or work, and for many it
meant the death camps
 Intelligence tests became associated with
Anthropometry
Debate over Anthropometry
 General Problems with
Anthropometry:
 Cost and error of the instruments used
 Education needed to be able to take the
measurements
 Error in calculation and measurements
 Slow
 Will West Case
Body Identification using
Anthropometry
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Bertillon used 5 basic measurements:
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head length
head breadth
length of middle finger
Length of left foot
length from the elbow to the extremity of the middle finger
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Gender
Height
Weight
Age
Bicep circumference, buttock depth, chest breadth, elbow
circumference, eye height, forearm to hand, ear breadth, head
circumference, head length, hip breadth sitting, hip breadth
standing, sitting height, waist depth, wrist breadth, wrist
circumference to name a few…there are currently 107
measurements
Today that list is more extensive:
Anthropometric Measuring Tools
Tape
Goniometer
Medical scale
Spreading Caliper
Sliding Calipers: large
and small
Anthropometer
Anthropometric Measuring
Techniques
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Weight
Stature
Posture:
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Standing
Frankfort
Sitting
Arm Span
Head Length
Head Breadth
Ear-to-Head Height
Nasal Length
Nasal Breadth
Skeletal Index = Sitting Height x 100/Stature
Cephalic Index = Head Breadth x 100/Head Length
Nasal Index = Nasal Breadth x 100/Nasal Length
Span/Stature Index = Arm Span x 100/ Stature
Cranial Capacity
Anthropometric Measuring
Techniques
Basic Chart of What is
Measured
Basic Areas of Where
to Measure
Basic Anthropometric Measuring
Examples
Anthropometric Measurements
80
70
60
Male 1
Male 2
Measurement (in cm)
Male 3
50
Male 4
Male 5
Male 6
40
Female 1
Female 2
Female 3
30
Female 4
Female 5
Female 6
20
10
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
Category
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
Basic Anthropometric Measuring
Examples
Anthropometric Measurements (cont.)
200
175
Male 1
Male 2
Measurements (in cm)
150
Male 3
Male 4
Male 5
Male 6
125
Female 1
Female 2
Female 3
Female 4
100
Female 5
Female 6
75
50
21
22
Category
23
Anthropometry Today
 Biometrics
 Nutrition and wellness
 Weight Training
 Ergonomics
 dynamic anthropometry: Measurements taken
on and around the figure when it is in any
position other than the fixed ones.
 Everyday life
 Evolutionary Significance
 Changes in humans overtime
 Monitor growth in children
 Cranial Anthropometry
Biometrics
 the automatic identification of a
person based on his/her physiological
or behavioral characteristics
 Verification vs. identification
 Verification: Am I whom I claim I am?
involves confirming or denying a
person's claimed identity
 Identification: Who am I?
Biometrics Applications
 Forensics: criminal identification and
prison security
 Prevention of unauthorized access to
ATMs, cellular phones, smart cards,
desktop PCs, workstations, and
computer networks
 Automobiles: replace keys with keyless entry and key-less ignition
 Border control and national ID cards
Biometrics Programs
 Fingerprint Identification
 Hand Geometry: geometric shape of the
hand for authenticating a user's identity
 Face Location: an arbitrary black and white,
still image, find the location and size of
every human face
 Multibiometrics: integrates face recognition,
fingerprint verification, and speaker
verification in making a personal
identification
Biometrics in Use
Heathrow Airport- Iris
BenGurion Airport:
Hand Geometry
FacePass: Face
Verification
Grocery Store Payment:
Fingerprint
INSPASS: Hand
Geometry
US- Visit Program
Cranial Anthropometry
 Also known as Craniometry
 measurement of the skull and face
 3 ways to categorize the skull
 dolichocephalic: long and thin
 brachycephalic: short and broad
 mesocephalic: intermediate length
and breadth
Terminology
 Frankfort Horizontal (FH)
1. A plane passing through three points of the right
and left porion and the left orbitale.
2. First proposed at the Craniometric Congress held
in Munich, Germany, 1877.
3. An orientation of skull in a consistent and
reproducible position.
4. Comparisons: natural head position; horizontal
visual axis; and horizontal plane.
Frankfort Horizontal
Cranial Anthropometry: 16 Facial
Zones
 en
(endocanthion)
 eu (eurion)
 ex (exocanthion)
 ft
(frontotemporale)
 fz
(frontozygomatic
us)
 g (glabella)
 gn (gnathion)
 obi (otobasion
inferius)
 op
(opisthocranion)
 po (porion)
Cranial Anthropometry: 16 Facial
Zones (cont.)
 n (nasion)
 sn (subnasale)
 t (tragion)
 tr (trichion)
 v (vertex)
 zy (zygion)
Cranial Anthropometry Facial Zones
Maximal cranial
breadth
Maximal cranial
length
Terminology
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Basion: the midpoint of the anterior margin of the foramen
magnum.
Gnathion: the most anterior and lowest median point on the
border of the mandible.
Glabella: the most forward projecting point in the midline of the
forehead at the level of the supra-orbital ridges and above the
nasofrontal suture.
Opisthocranion: the most posterior point on the skull not on the
external occipital protuberance. It is the posterior end point of
maximum cranial length measured from glabella. It is determined
instrumentally.
Euryon: the two points on the opposite sides of the skull that
form termini of the lines of greatest breadth. The two points are
determined instrumentally.
Zygion: the most lateral point of the zygomatic arch. It is
determined instrumentally.
Orbitale: the lowest point in the margin of the orbit; one of the
points used in defining Frankfort Horizontal.
Terminology
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Porion: the uppermost lateral point in the margin of the
external auditory meatus. The right and left porion with the
left orbitale define the Frankfort Horizontal
Mastoidale: the lowest point of the mastoid process
Gonion: the midpoint of the angel of the mandible between
body and ramus.
Bregma: the intersection of the coronal and sagittal
sutures in the midline.
Lambda: the intersection of the sagittal and lambdoidal
sutures in the midline.
Nasion: the intersection of the nasofrontal suture with the
midsagittal plane. Nasion is the uppermost landmark for the
measure of facial height.
Menton: the lowest median point of the chin.
Pogonion: the most anterior point in the midline of the
chin.
3- D Anthropometry
 3D anthropometry, the measure of humans, can be
greatly aided by the use of accurate digital humans.
We'll take a look at how to create these types of
accurate digital humans and how they can be used for
the measurement of entire populations
 Programs:
 Cyberware
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DigiSize
CySlice
Ear Impression 3-D Scanner
 SizeUSA: 3D measurement system, a body scanner
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feeding data into measurement extraction software.
CAESAR: generate a database of human physical
dimensions for men and women of various weights,
between the ages of 18 and 65
 Virtual Models: virtually try on clothes, makeup etc.
Future Endeavors of
Anthropometry?
Standing Height
Sitting Height
Upper Leg
Length
Knee Height
Arm Length
Circumferences
Buttock
Abdominal/waist
Subscapular
Skin Fold
Triceps
Suprailiaca
Questions?
Thank you for your time!