A comparative study of the effectiveness of photogrammetric versus manual anthropometric measurements

The accurate measurement of the human body is essential when it comes to designing agricultural tools and equipment that can effectively accommodate and interact with individuals when performing a task. The traditional method for measuring an individual's body measurements is highly complex and requires two or more skilled individuals and reliable measurement tools. Finding a new approach that is speedier, more precise, and less expensive than current methods is therefore necessary.

This study aims to develop an inexpensive novel photogrammetric anthropometric measurement setup that can extract the dimensions of an individual subject irrespective of their body shape.

This study involved the creation of a setup comprising four cameras for a 360° photoshoot of human subjects to calibrate and test the developed measurement setup for capturing photos of human subjects and compare the results with manual measurements.

Ten different body dimensions were measured using the setup. There was a significant correlation between the manual and photogrammetric measurement methods (0.943 < r < 0.997). The highest absolute error recorded was 1.87%.

The photogrammetric method for collecting anthropometric data is a reliable substitute for manual measurements across diverse populations. The results indicate that this low-cost approach is highly precise and reliable, with strong correlation to manual measurements. Multiview photogrammetry proves effective for individuals of various body shapes, making it a versatile option for data collection.