In recent months,
Sandy Ressler of the Information Access Division has presented keynote talks
entitled "Beer Bellies, Bountiful Behinds and other Mysteries of the Human
Form". Initially presented at the Computer
Animation and Synthetic Actors 2003 conference in May and more recently on June
18 at the Society for Automotive Engineers (SAE) Digital Human Modeling for
Design and Engineering conference, Ressler's entertaining talk pointed out the
many areas NIST has been involved in the use and distribution of anthropometric
data as combined with 3D on the Web.
Although his talk has a humorous title, this project helps address
several research problems and needs in this area, including inadequate human
modeling systems and design problems associated with deformation of soft
tissue. In fact, creating
scientifically accurate, 3D functional models of the human body is one of many
national grand challenges presented in the “Networking and Information
Technology Research and Development” supplement to the President’s Budget for
FY2002. Anthropometry is the
study of human body measurement for use in anthropological classification and
comparison. Having this visual data
helps in designing seating areas in truck cabs, cockpits, motorcycles, etc. These
talks and the exposure NIST has gained has led to Ressler taking the lead of a
new effort within the SAE to codify an interchange specification for 3D
anthropometric landmarks. This work will be done in collaboration with industry
leaders from Boeing, Lear, TNO (Netherlands research institute) and research
staff at Wright Patterson Air Force Base.
Contact: Sandy Ressler, ext. 3549