The survey, called the Civilian American and European Surface Anthropometry Resource project, measured the bodies of 4,431 people in North America, the Netherlands and Italy. The survey collected a voluminous amount of data about its subjects, ranging from height and weight to shoe and bra size. Dr. Robinette and her colleagues made 3D scans of their subjects, allowing for detailed measurements in sitting and standing positions.
For seat designers, the most relevant data came from measurements of people sitting, which included distances from the buttock to the knee, the breadth of the hips and the height of the knees.
The data gave an accurate view of the variations in the human form, Dr. Robinette said, but the measurements have not been used correctly.
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