A comparison of traditional and 3D scanning measurement in ear anthropometry

Abstract

Ear anthropometry is important in physical ergonomics for ear-related products. With various anthropometric methods, comparisons between different measuring techniques have not been sufficiently studied especially for ear dimensions. This study aimed at comparing traditional measurement and 3D scanning method for ear anthropometry, with addressing their usages in practice. For thirty participants, ear length and ear width were measured by the same investigator with two measuring methods. Traditional measurement was directly conducted with a caliper, whereas dimensions using 3D scanning technique were extracted from the point cloud acquired from a structured light scanner. Statistical results showed the differences between traditional and 3D scanning measurement, which can provide empirical evidences of differences between different measuring techniques for ear anthropometry. Additionally, the usages of different methods were discussed so that the proper method can be selected to match specific goals for future research.