An anthropometer is a device used to measure the length of body parts. It consists of a rod with two parallel sliding arms that can be moved to hold the body part being measured. Anthropometry has been used for various purposes throughout history, but it has been controversial due to its use in pseudo-scientific research and the Holocaust. Computer measurements may eventually replace anthropometric measurements.
An anthropometer is a device designed to measure the dimensions of the human body. The tool is usually used to determine the length of a section of the body such as an arm or head, not to determine the circumference. Typically, an anthropometer consists of a rod with two parallel sliding arms that can be moved to hold the body part being measured, thus providing an accurate estimate of the distance between the two points. Throughout history, anthropometry has been used for a variety of purposes, but the techniques have remained essentially the same.
The essential function of an anthropometer is to accurately determine the distance between two points. To achieve this function, the device must be made of a material strong enough to hold its shape for many years, as bending the tool would make its measurements inaccurate. Not only must the arms of the anthropometer be parallel, they must also be perfectly perpendicular to the line on which they run. If these constraints are met, the distance between the ends of the two arms when applied to the body will be accurately measured by the ruler.
While many parts of the body can be measured by an anthropometer, some measurements have become conventional, and these devices have developed to accommodate these measurements easily. Measurements of the arms, head, foot, and fingers are all commonly performed by anthropometers. For example, a measurement across the skull, such as the distance between the temples, is facilitated with an anthropometer as this device gives accurate readings by physically touching the measurement points.
Even with the continued utility of anthropometers, it is possible and even practical to obtain detailed scans of human bodies in three dimensions using computers. As technologies improve and become less expensive, computer measurements can completely replace anthropometric measurements due to the precision provided by machines.
Throughout history, anthropometers have been used in pseudo-scientific research and attempts to scientifically evaluate human nature. Infamously, physical measures were used during the Holocaust in an attempt to isolate the Jewish race from a Nazi perspective. Currently, anthropometry is mainly practiced to isolate the average human body size for commercial products, as well as to study the effects of certain factors on human growth across populations.
Given the questionable uses of anthropometry throughout history, it is understandable why many people object to being measured in this way, having seen photographs of anthropometric instruments being used under more sinister circumstances. Therefore, when using such a device, it is a good idea to be forthcoming about how your data will be used and why it is needed.
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