Human Solutions GmbH of Kaiserslautern has provided new anthropometric databases for product development with its leading ergonomics software RAMSIS. For the first time, detailed body dimension data from India and Korea and up-to-date dimensions for Germany are now available.  

There's also a new growth forecast model for Germany - based on current research status, the new model will make growth forecasting possible until 2034 - and it's differentiable in gender, age and body height. The existing 1984 database for Germany only enables forecasting until 2010.

RAMSIS is used in the automotive and aviation industries for simulating human beings during the ergonomic design of vehicles and aircraft. Thanks to this extended forecasting timeframe, companies can now depend on long-term, reliable data for their product development.    

New model for growth forecast  

The new secular growth model of the German database assumes that the increase in length (linear) dimensions will gradually stagnate, while the secular growth of corpulence will continue unchanged. "Mixed dimensions" (e.g. knee-buttock length) are subject to both of these above influences.   

In contrast, the 1984 database for Germany is based on a linear forecasting model which only addresses increases in body height, assuming a constant rate of growth (1.8 cm/10 years for men and 1.2 cm/10 years in the case of women).  

The existing database for Germany and the new data can be used in parallel.    

The database for Germany - Background on the procurement of data

·        Timeframe: 2002 to 2004

·        Magnitude: 1,076 men and 1,363 women

·        Age: 18-70 (age structure of the random sample was similar to the age structure of the population)

·        Special features: age-dependent, body dimension-dependent and gender-dependent acceleration

·        Source of data: Human Solutions GmbH    

Database for Korea: Background on the procurement of data

·        Timeframe: 2003 to 2004

·        Magnitude: 3,100 men and 3,100 women

·        Age: 18-70 years

·        Special features: in addition to the general age groups, nine sub-groups are available

·        Source of data: Size Korea Serial Measurement

Database for India: Background on the procurement of data

·        Timeframe: 1989 to 1994

·        Magnitude: 710 men and 251 women

·        Age: 20 years and older.

·        Special features: No age groups available.

·        Source of data: Indian National Institute of Design and The Automotive Research Association of India; Typology by Debkumar Chakrabarti