The specification of personalised insoles using additive manufacturing

Research has been conducted to explore a process that delivers insoles for personalised footwear for the high street using additive manufacturing (AM) and to evaluate the use of such insoles in terms of discomfort. Therefore, the footwear personalisation process was first identified: (1) foot capture; (2) anthropometric measurements; (3) insole design; and (4) additive manufacturing. In order to explore and evaluate this process, recreational runners were recruited. They had both feet scanned and 15 anthropometric measurements taken. Personalised insoles were designed from the scans and manufactured using AM. Participants were fitted with footwear under two experimental conditions: personalised and control, which were compared in terms of discomfort. The mean ratings for discomfort variables were generally low for both conditions and no significant differences were detected between conditions. In general, the personalisation process showed promise in terms of the scan data, although the foot capture position may not be considered 'gold standard'. Polyamide, the material used for the insoles, demonstrated positive attributes: visual inspection revealed no signs of breaking. The footwear personalisation process described and explored in this study shows potential and can be considered a good starting point for designer and researchers.     

The effects of a continuous passive motion device on myoelectric activity of the erector spinae during prolonged sitting at a computer workstation

Continuous passive motion (CPM) has been proposed as a method to help individuals with low back pain cope with prolonged sitting. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects that a commercially available CPM device had on lumbar and thoracic erector spinae (ES) muscle activation (using surface electromyography, "EMG"), and on subjective discomfort during prolonged seated computer work with and without the use of the CPM device. There were no significant differences in average ES muscle activation levels, amplitude probability distribution functions, and EMG gaps number and length when sitting with the CPM device was compared to sitting normally. Subjective ratings of discomfort were also not significantly different between the two sitting conditions. The results indicated that there were no clear mechanisms by which the CPM device may reduce ES muscle pain and fatigue for the tasks and pain-free individuals studied.     

Children's computer usage: are they at risk of developing repetitive strain injury?

The purpose of this study was to determine the average time school children spend on computers and electronic games, the positions they assume, and any associated discomfort related to their use. A twenty three-point questionnaire was distributed to 476 children in first to eighth grade from three parochial schools in one of the New York City boroughs. The findings of this study suggest that children use the computer and electronic games differently than adults and that more boys than girls engage in electronic game playing. Results clearly indicated that children are experiencing discomfort from the use of computers or electronic games, and that the discomfort is largely concentrated in the neck region. Occupational therapy could be instrumental in terms of educating the children, their parents/guardians, and their teachers on proper body mechanics, applications of ergonomically suited workstations, and the use of rest/stretch breaks while engaged in computing and electronic game playing.     

Determining anthropometric variables as a tool in the preparation of furniture and designs of interior spaces: the case of children 6 to 11 years old of Vicosa, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil

The adequacy of facilities and the individual securities in their different age groups is importance to ensure greater functionality to them, allowing full development of daily activities. For this to occur more efficiently it is necessary the use of ergonomics which can ensure more comfort and safety for end users of products and spaces. The present study aimed to measure body dimensions of a representative sample of children aged 6 to 11 years old, children of graduate and pos graduate students, faculty and staff of the Federal University of Vicosa and also residents of the city of Vicosa, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil, coming from different municipalities of State of Minas Gerais, to organize a database that will provide the furniture industry, anthropometric variables more appropriate to design products for both the leisure activities, and for the school sector. To realize this research we used the methodology proposed by the authors Panero and Zelnik, based on samples distributed in six age groups, and providing a measurement of 10 variables. By applying the methodology to the field was possible to compare the observed data, with the tables of the aforementioned authors. The main results revealed a significant variation of the 10 variables analyzed, and it is believed that this variation could lead to possible flaws in the designs of products that use the data from these authors. The completion of the study provided data on Vicosa considered more appropriate for the design of products and environments for the population of the study, considering age and region, of Brazil (State of Minas Gerais) and it is believed that the future may expand to the Brazilian population, with the progress of study of this nature.     

On the road toward the development of clothing size standards and safety devices for Chilean workers

The range of sizes used in Chile for clothing comes from criteria developed in continental Europe, mainly the EN 13402 standard. Any standard adopted by a country should consider the anthropometric dimensions of the user population, particularly to discern the ratio of garments for different size. Consequently, the purpose of this study was to propose standards for the size of clothing based on anthropometric characteristics of a sample of Chilean miners. The study was conducted in 447 male workers. The age and body weight were measured in each workers as well as their percentage of body fat. Anthropometric measurements for garments were made according to the criteria of the European Community (EN 13402-1) and ISO (8559- 1989). Body dimensions for the design of gloves, shoes, helmets and caps, clothes that cover the upper part of the body and clothes that cover the lower part were measured. The results obtained made it possible to establish the percentage of workers falling within the range of sizes that manufacturers consider as reference. One of the main conclusions of the study is the need to carefully consider a set of complementary anthropometric measures, which can help to improve the comfort of costumes, to the extent that the providers adapt their designs to the characteristics of Chilean workers.     

The impact of school furniture on fourth grade children's on-task and sitting behavior in the classroom: a pilot study

Schoolchildren spend much of their day sitting in classroom furniture that is often too large or too small. To assess the impact of the size and fit of school furniture on the sitting and task behaviors of schoolchildren, 63 fourth-graders were observed while seated in 2 different sizes, types, and arrangements of furniture in their classroom. A correlated group design was used to compare the sitting and task behaviors of the students while seated in their traditional classroom furniture consisting of tables and chairs, and while sitting in smaller, appropriately sized desks and chairs, arranged in clusters and then in rows. The results indicate that the children sat better and were on task more when seated in the smaller furniture, as indicated by a significant main effect for condition, F = 51.478 (4, 330), p<0.05. There was no difference in sitting and task behaviors with the new furniture arranged in clusters compared to rows. Girls showed a slightly greater improvement compared to boys, and there was a significant correlation between better sitting positions and being on-task (r = 0.549, p<0.01). These findings indicate that students would likely benefit from sitting in smaller furniture that fits their size better.     

Designing for multiple global user populations: increasing resource allocation efficiency for greater sustainability

This paper proposes a method to identify opportunities for increasing the efficiency of raw material allocation decisions for products that are simultaneously targeted at multiple user populations around the world. The values of 24 body measures at certain key percentiles were used to estimate the best-fitting anthropometric distributions for female and male adults in nine national populations, which were selected to represent the diverse target markets multinational companies must design for. These distributions were then used to synthesize body measure data for combined populations with a 1:1 female:male ratio. An anthropometric range metric (ARM) was proposed for assessing the variation of these body measures across the populations. At any percentile, ARM values were calculated as the percentage difference between the highest and lowest anthropometric values across the considered user populations. Based on their magnitudes, plots of ARM values computed between the 1st and 99 th percentiles for each body measure were grouped into low, medium, and high categories. This classification of body measures was proposed as a means of selecting the most suitable strategies for designing raw material-efficient products. The findings in this study and the contributions of subsequent work along these lines are expected to help achieve greater efficiencies in resource allocation in global product development.     

Level of physical activity and anthropometric characteristics in old age—results from a national health survey

Advanced age is associated with degenerative changes in body composition. There is evidence suggesting that changes may vary upon differences in lifestyle, environment, or gender. Physical activity engagement is considered an important component of lifestyle definition. There are suggestions that engaging in physical activity might alleviate degenerative body compositional changes. The objective is to assess the relationship between adherence to recommended guidelines of physical activity and anthropometric parameters in Israeli older adults. Anthropometric measures, including height, weight, and waist circumference, were taken, and BMI was calculated, from a random sample of 1,663 elderly adults (799 men and 864 women), aged 74.31 (±6.05) years old. Participants reported their physical activity habits and, based on official guidelines recommendations, they were divided into sufficiently active, insufficiently active, and inactive groups. One-way ANOVA (level of physical activity) for both genders was conducted for each anthropometric variable. In both genders, an association between level of physical activity and weight, waist circumference, and BMI was found, with lower values among the sufficiently active. In addition, a relationship between level of physical activity and height was indicated among women, implying that the more active women were taller than the less active. In addition to the already known health benefits of physical activity in old age, it is possible that adherence to recommended guidelines of physical activity is associated with favorable anthropometric characteristics.     

Association of age and physical exercise with bodyweight and body composition in Asian Chinese men

Background.?The present study sought to examine the association between physical exercise as a lifestyle habit with anthropometric parameters and body composition and aging in men.

Methods.?Intensity of exercise was scored as metabolic equivalent-min/week (MET-min/week) from data of the questionnaire, while anthropometric parameters and body composition were carried out by standard measuring instruments and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scanner, respectively.

Results.?Age was associated with decreases in bodyweight, height, total lean mass and bone mass, but an increase in fat mass. The negative association of lean mass with age was predominantly due to the negative association of lean masses in the legs and arm, while the positive association of fat mass with age was primarily due to the positive association of fat masses in the trunk and abdomen. Exercise of intensity greater than 1000 MET-min/week was significantly associated with higher lean and bone masses and lower fat mass. The increase in lean mass was predominantly in the legs, while the decreases in fat mass were in the trunk and abdomen.

Conclusion.?The study showed that the high intensity of physical exercise, equivalent to greater than 1000 MET-min/week, is required to effect beneficial changes in the body composition. Hence, results from the study support the importance of promoting a lifestyle habit of exercise of sufficient intensity in order to mitigate the increase risks of sarcopenia and obesity and their attendant ill effects on health in men as they age.     

Long-term effects of forearm support: computer users working at conventional desks

Recent research has demonstrated that forearm support might be preferable to working in the traditional "floating" posture for computer users. A previous field study in a call centre reported a significant decrease in discomfort following 12 weeks of using a conventional desk for forearm support. The aim of this follow up study was to determine the long-term effect (21 months post intervention) of forearm support on reported musculoskeletal discomfort in the previous sample of intensive computer users. METHODS: The follow-up sample consisted of 33 females and 2 males (59% of original group). Data were collected via self-report questionnaires and workstation assessments. RESULTS: Despite a significant reduction in discomfort for most body regions following the initial intervention, the only significant decrease in discomfort over 21 months was for the neck. Reported discomfort for all other body regions had decreased, apart from the shoulder in which there was a reported increase in discomfort. The results of this follow up study indicate that forearm support has a positive effect on the reduction of neck discomfort. The increase in shoulder discomfort indicates that a concave desk may be preferable to the conventional desk if the forearm support posture is to be adopted.     

Members of the human body prone to musculoskeletal damages: a comparison between the sector of transportation and footwears production

This study present areas of the body more prone to develop diseases by musculoskeletal efforts, ie, RTD, in two companies of Paraiba, Brazil. To this end, was made a comparative analysis with respect to the type of work performed (standing, sitting) and the parts that suffer most discomfort after a day's work in a footwear industry and a bus transportation company. The quanti-qualitative research was conducted through semi-structured interviews with 227 employees in the period 2008 to 2009, having as methodological the tool diagram of painful areas of Corlett and Manenica. It was concluded that the areas most affected by musculoskeletal disorders are located in the neck (9,2%), backs (23,6%), shoulders (14,5%) and legs (11,3%), being usually caused by inappropriate postures, repetitive movements and work station no adequate the anthropometry of the users. Thus, we recommend the adoption of ergonomic measures that enable a healthy and safe environment for workers.     

Postural assessment of school children: an input for the design of furniture

During the last decades of the previous century, school desks with a tilt top have disappeared. The chairs have been designed for sitting upright, with the hip, knees and ankles all at right angles. However, the erect posture cannot be maintained for more than one or two minutes, after which it will result in fatigue, discomfort or poor posture. The main aim of project is to identify the type of furniture that most effectively contribute to adequate neck and back postures of the school children, by carrying out a postural analysis of a sample of school pupils when using three different types of furniture. The postures adopted by school pupils were monitored by video during several activities, such as reading, writing and painting tasks, copying from a blackboard and listening the teacher. Additionally, the characteristics of the adopted postures were assessed by registering the head tilt, flexion of the neck, trunk and hips position. All these aspects were classified and the results were recorded for future analysis. The obtained results seem to point out that the use of a school desk with a tilted table surface resulted in a reduction in trunk and neck flexion, preserving the natural lordosis in the lumbar and cervical regions. Accordingly, it can be concluded that there are alternatives to consider in the furniture design in order to eliminate tensions and, consequently, to improve children's wellbeing.     

The Impact of Remittances on Nutritional Status of Children in Ecuador1

This work analyzes the impact of remittances on nutritional status of children aged <5 years old in Ecuador in 2006. Using a set of anthropometric indicators constructed according to the new World Health Organization standards, the last household survey available for this country, and an instrumental variables strategy controlling for endogeneity of remittances, this study finds a positive and significant effect of remittance income on short-term and middle-term child nutritional status; nevertheless, no significant impact on long-run anthropometric indicators.     

1D and 3D anthropometric data application on public transport vehicle layout and on oil and gas laboratories work environment design

The goal of this paper is to present 1D and 3D anthropometric data applied to two distinct design situations: one related to the interior layout of a public transport vehicle and another one related to oil and gas laboratories work environment design. On this study, the 1D anthropometric data were extracted from the Brazilian anthropometric database developed by INT and the 3D anthropometric data were obtained using a Cyberware 3D whole body scanner. A second purpose of this paper is to present the 3D human scanning data as a tool that can help designers on decision making.     

Effects of at-work exercises on computer operators

At-work exercises are commonly recommended for computer operators. This randomized control trial assessed adherence, pain and satisfaction after 4 weeks of at-work exercise. Subjects (n=72) were randomized into 3 groups: resistance exercise, stretching, and control. Outcomes included a satisfaction survey, a visual analogue pain scale (VAS), a pain drawing, and the Neck Disability Index (NDI). The VAS, the drawing, and NDI were analyzed together as a composite variate referred to as Pain Impact. Exercise frequency was similar across the 3 groups (median=1.5 times per day). No differences were found between groups on Pain Impact p=0.714) or individual pain variables. Most satisfaction survey item scores did not differ between groups. However, a significant difference between groups on the survey item related to discomfort. The resistance and stretching group differed from the control group with regard to their perception that the exercises were helpful in reducing discomfort in the back and neck (p<0.001). We conclude that most subjects found the resistance and the stretching exercises easy to do, performed them 1 to 2 times daily, and said they reduced discomfort. To determine optimal type and frequency of at-work exercises, further study is needed.