Technical note | Preliminary Anthropometric Specification for Land Vehicles

Abstract 

The Australian Defence Force (ADF) will be acquiring a number of new vehicles in the near future. When acquiring a new vehicle numerous factors must be considered when determining the most suitable option for the ADF. One very important consideration is the human machine interface. Using the anthropometric data gathered on male personnel based at Robertson Barracks, Darwin, in 2010 an anthropometric specification which describes the "hard to fit" members of the Army population has been developed. This specification can be used to inform the acquisition of new vehicles or the upgrading of existing vehicles.

Executive Summary

A number of new land vehicles will be acquired by the Australian Army in the coming years. When acquiring a new vehicle numerous factors must be considered when determining the most suitable option for the Australian Defence Force (ADF). One very important consideration concerns the anthropometric accommodation aspect of the human machine interface. Ideally, the vehicle should safely accommodate a wide range of male and female body sizes.

The most recent anthropometric survey of the Australian Army population was conducted in 2010 at Robertson Barracks in Darwin. The survey, conducted by the University of South Australia, measured 371 male and 46 female personnel ranging in age from 18 to 53 years old. The subjects came from a broad range of corps, including infantry, engineering, signals and artillery. In total, 40 manual measurements were taken on each subject, including measurements relevant to protective equipment, clothing and seated workstations, such as sitting height, buttock–knee length and chest circumference. In addition, each subject was laser scanned in two standing postures using a Vitus XXL laser scanner. Using the male data (as only 46 females were surveyed only the male data was used for this analysis) and a statistical technique called principle component analysis an anthropometric specification was developed which describes the "hard to fit" members of the male sample. The "hard to fit" personnel are not only the tall and the short, but subjects of average height who have contrasting proportions, a long torso and short limbs, for example. This specification can be used to inform the anthropometric fit aspects of new vehicle acquisitions and any upgrades of existing vehicles. It is recommended that when sufficient data for Army females becomes available this specification be updated to incorporate females.