THREE METHODS TO DETERMINE MASS CHARACTERISTICS OF HUMAN BODY SEGMENTS

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Three approaches to estimate body segment parameters (BSP) are compared, a volumescanning photographic method, a force plate technique and a geometric method. First approach: a 3D body scanner was used to obtain a closed surface mesh of a subject. Closed loops were employed to divide the mesh into head, thorax, pelvis and limbs. Volume and center of mass (CM) of each segment were computed. Second approach: a triangular reaction board with two force sensors was used to measure the position of the CM. Third approach: The multi-body simulation software dynamicus/alaska models the segments by geometric shapes like elliptic solids, ellipsoids, and semi-ellipsoids. The results indicate that the body scanner method is highly accurate and an integration into dynamicus/alaska would increase simulation accuracy.