scholarly journals Body shape matters: Evidence from machine learning on body shape-income relationship

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (7) ◽  
pp. e0254785
Author(s):  
Suyong Song ◽  
Stephen Baek

The association between physical appearance and income has been of central interest in social science. However, most previous studies often measured physical appearance using classical proxies from subjective opinions based on surveys. In this study, we use novel data, called CAESAR, which contains three-dimensional (3D) whole-body scans to mitigate possible reporting and measurement errors. We demonstrate the existence of significant nonclassical reporting errors in the reported heights and weights by comparing them with measured counterparts, and show that these discrete measurements are too sparse to provide a complete description of the body shape. Instead, we use a graphical autoencoder to obtain intrinsic features, consisting of human body shapes directly from 3D scans and estimate the relationship between body shapes and family income. We also take into account a possible issue of endogenous body shapes using proxy variables and control functions. The estimation results reveal a statistically significant relationship between physical appearance and family income and that these associations differ across genders. This supports the hypothesis on the physical attractiveness premium in labor market outcomes and its heterogeneity across genders.

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eonyou Shin ◽  
Elahe Saeidi

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to categorize the whole body shapes of overweight and obese females in the US and examine apparel fit based on the current ASTM sizing standards related to the body shapes categorized.Design/methodology/approachBody scan data from 2,672 subjects were used. To categorize their whole body shapes using 97 body measurements, principal component analysis with varimax rotation, a hierarchical cluster analysis and K-means cluster analysis were used. To compare the ASTM sizing standards for plus sizes (curvy and straight) and missy sizes (curvy and straight), five body parts (bust, under bust, waist, top hip, hip) using the formula for fit tolerance (measurement plus half of the interval) were compared with the ASTM sizing standards to determine the size appropriate for each body part.FindingsFive whole body shapes among overweight and obese females in the US were categorized: Rectangle-curvy; parallelogram-moderately curvy; parallelogram-hip tilt; inverted trapezoid-moderately curvy and inverted trapezoid-hip tilt. When the body measurements in each body shape were compared with the current ASTM sizing systems for both misses and plus sizes, four-fifths or more of overweight and obese female adults in the US would find it difficult to obtain a perfect fit for both tops and bottoms.Originality/valueIdentifying whole body shapes among overweight and obese women in the US contributes significantly, as it will help apparel companies that target the markets of larger women develop a new sizing system. This study is the first attempt to analyze fit by comparing the ASTM sizing charts with body measurements in each body shape group. Further, the study contributes to the body-related literature by filling gaps in missing whole BS categories among overweight and obese females.


2010 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 297-311 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wookyung Lee ◽  
Haruki Imaoka

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to classify body shapes using angular defects instead of sizes.Design/methodology/approachA large amount of dimensional data from a national anthropometry survey was analysed, and a basic pattern and its polyhedron were also used to create a three‐dimensional body shape from three body sizes. Using this method, the sizes were converted into nine angular defects.FindingsThe authors could define the factors explaining body shape characteristics and classify the body shapes into four groups. The four groups could be characterised by two pattern making difficulties of the upper and lower parts of the body as well as by two proportions, of waist girth to bust girth and bust girth to back length. Furthermore, depending on the age, the authors could understand body shape by the angle made.Originality/valueUsing a polyhedron model, the angles could be calculated using an enormous existing data set of sizes. An angular defect serves as an index to indicate the degree of difficulty for developing a flat pattern. If an angular defect of the bust is large, it is difficult to make a paper pattern of a bust dart. On the other hand, if an angular defect of the waist is large, it is easy to make a paper pattern of a waist dart. Thus, each body shape could be simultaneously characterized by two difficulty indices and two proportions of sizes.


2017 ◽  
Vol 88 (18) ◽  
pp. 2055-2075 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rong Liu ◽  
Xia Guo ◽  
Qiujin Peng ◽  
Le Zhang ◽  
Terence T Lao ◽  
...  

Poor fit has become one of reasons for high non-compliance in the use of garments made of compression textiles in venous deficiency treatments. A novel methodology to categorize lower body shapes and sizes has been established via three-dimensional digital anthropometric technology in this study based on 208 Hong Kong subjects aged 40–60 years. Three new parameters were introduced to classify body shapes, namely the “A-angle” for assessing the “alignment” of lower extremities, the “cosine values of the key angle” at the turning point for below-knee shape determination, and “gradient” for above-knee shape categories. The mathematical simulation via the interpolation function was employed to explore the characteristics of shape variation trends with the involvement of dynamic interactions of both circumferences ( Cir) and heights ( Hei) of lower extremities. The clustering analysis quantitatively segmented the sample population into three stratified leg morphologies (i.e. diamond, inverted trapezoid, and balanced leg shapes) in terms of the determined anthropometric landmarks along the lower extremities, in which the C ir( s) of the brachial ( cB1), calf ( cC), and thigh ( cF) exhibited most obvious differences among the clustered lower limbs. The created stratified shape-driven sizing system and methodologies further involved the body shape classifications into the Cir-based size categories to cater for diverse body morphologies in product size selection, thus improving dimensional fitness and accurate treatment using compression textiles in practice.


2018 ◽  
Vol 29 (12) ◽  
pp. 1969-1983 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying Hu ◽  
Connor J. Parde ◽  
Matthew Q. Hill ◽  
Naureen Mahmood ◽  
Alice J. O’Toole

People infer the personalities of others from their facial appearance. Whether they do so from body shapes is less studied. We explored personality inferences made from body shapes. Participants rated personality traits for male and female bodies generated with a three-dimensional body model. Multivariate spaces created from these ratings indicated that people evaluate bodies on valence and agency in ways that directly contrast positive and negative traits from the Big Five domains. Body-trait stereotypes based on the trait ratings revealed a myriad of diverse body shapes that typify individual traits. Personality-trait profiles were predicted reliably from a subset of the body-shape features used to specify the three-dimensional bodies. Body features related to extraversion and conscientiousness were predicted with the highest consensus, followed by openness traits. This study provides the first comprehensive look at the range, diversity, and reliability of personality inferences that people make from body shapes.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ran-i Eom ◽  
Yejin Lee

PurposeThe use of shoulder protectors is strongly recommended when carrying objects on the shoulder to ensure the health and safety of workers. Thus, this study aimed to develop and verify an ergonomic shoulder protector that considers human body shape and carrying posture from an ergonomic perspective. Ultimately, this study will present a shoulder protector with enhanced fit and safety for carrying workers at construction sites.Design/methodology/approachThe shoulder protector was designed and printed using three-dimensional printing technology with variable side neck points and shoulder point heights to reflect the human body's shoulder line shape and to position the carried object stably on the shoulder. The developed shoulder protectors were evaluated in terms of their fit according to the work posture of the carrier, adherence upon motion and durability through structural analysis.FindingsThe design of the shoulder protector for carrying workers followed the shoulder line. It is best placed above the side neck point by 1.0 cm and above the shoulder point by 2.0 cm. Its length is slightly shorter than the human shoulder for superior fit and safety.Originality/valueThe final shoulder protector (FSP) for carrying workers reflects the body curvature while enhancing fit and safety by considering activity and protective factors. As functional studies and evaluations on the need for protectors are scarce, this study provides fundamental data in the evaluation of protective gears.


2001 ◽  
Vol 204 (17) ◽  
pp. 2959-2973 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew J. McHenry

SUMMARY A great diversity of unicellular and invertebrate organisms swim along a helical path, but it is not well understood how asymmetries in the body shape or the movement of propulsive structures affect a swimmer’s ability to perform the body rotation necessary to move helically. The present study found no significant asymmetries in the body shape of ascidian larvae (Distaplia occidentalis) that could operate to rotate the body during swimming. By recording the three-dimensional movement of free-swimming larvae, it was found that the tail possessed two bends, each with constant curvature along their length. As these bends traveled posteriorly, the amplitude of curvature changes was significantly greater in the concave-left direction than in the concave-right direction. In addition to this asymmetry, the tail oscillated at an oblique angle to the midline of the trunk. These asymmetries generated a yawing moment that rotated the body in the counterclockwise direction from a dorsal view, according to calculations from hydrodynamic theory. The tails of resting larvae were bent in the concave-left direction with a curvature statistically indistinguishable from the median value for tail curvature during swimming. The flexural stiffness of the tails of larvae, measured in three-point bending, may be great enough to allow the resting curvature of the tail to have an effect on the symmetry of kinematics. This work suggests that asymmetrical tail motion is an important mechanism for generating a yawing moment during swimming in ascidian larvae and that these asymmetries may be caused by the tail’s bent shape. Since helical motion requires that moments also be generated in the pitching or rolling directions, other mechanisms are required to explain fully how ascidian larvae generate and control helical swimming.


2014 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matteo Zago ◽  
Andrea Francesco Motta ◽  
Andrea Mapelli ◽  
Isabella Annoni ◽  
Christel Galvani ◽  
...  

Abstract Soccer kicking kinematics has received wide interest in literature. However, while the instep-kick has been broadly studied, only few researchers investigated the inside-of-the-foot kick, which is one of the most frequently performed techniques during games. In particular, little knowledge is available about differences in kinematics when kicking with the preferred and non-preferred leg. A motion analysis system recorded the three-dimensional coordinates of reflective markers placed upon the body of nine amateur soccer players (23.0 ± 2.1 years, BMI 22.2 ± 2.6 kg/m2), who performed 30 pass-kicks each, 15 with the preferred and 15 with the non-preferred leg. We investigated skill kinematics while maintaining a perspective on the complete picture of movement, looking for laterality related differences. The main focus was laid on: anatomical angles, contribution of upper limbs in kick biomechanics, kinematics of the body Center of Mass (CoM), which describes the whole body movement and is related to balance and stability. When kicking with the preferred leg, CoM displacement during the ground-support phase was 13% higher (p<0.001), normalized CoM height was 1.3% lower (p<0.001) and CoM velocity 10% higher (p<0.01); foot and shank velocities were about 5% higher (p<0.01); arms were more abducted (p<0.01); shoulders were rotated more towards the target (p<0.01, 6° mean orientation difference). We concluded that differences in motor control between preferred and non-preferred leg kicks exist, particularly in the movement velocity and upper body kinematics. Coaches can use these results to provide effective instructions to players in the learning process, moving their focus on kicking speed and upper body behavior


2013 ◽  
Vol 364 ◽  
pp. 14-18
Author(s):  
Xuan Zuo Liu ◽  
Hui Min Wang ◽  
Fei Zhang ◽  
Yu Long Zhang ◽  
Qian Cheng Liu

This paper designs the three-dimensional body modelling of a solar car prototype mainly according to the World Solar Challenge rules, and carries on the flow field digital simulation analysis. This paper analyzes the air resistance of the car body and adjusts to the body shape, and ultimately gets a model well accorded with air dynamics. This paper provides scientific theoretical basis for the design and manufacture of the solar car prototype.


2013 ◽  
Vol 442 ◽  
pp. 338-341
Author(s):  
A Qiang Sun

The package structure is a three-dimensional space form, so people know the products are in used in the packaging. In packaging materials for paper use is very extensive, paper products are easy to shape the body shape for easy printing and recyclable advantage. This paper study design of the paper packaging structural, combining paper packaging structural design applications to explore the paper packaging structural morphology and environmentalist design consciousness.


2021 ◽  
Vol 1199 (1) ◽  
pp. 012019
Author(s):  
S Sivák ◽  
S Maláková

Abstract The development of modern machines and means of production is characterized by ever-increasing performance parameters with decreasing equipment weight. When designing large gears, it is also necessary to consider the influence of the body shape of the gear wheel. The body shape of gear wheel must meet the basic requirements of stiffness and strength with the lightest possible construction of the gear wheel body. The work is focused on large gears, made with relief. Such gears can be forged, cast, or made by welding. The shape of the gear wheel body depends on several factors such as the size of the wheel, the material, the method of manufacture or use. The paper provides an overview of the body shapes used by large spur gears. These body shapes of spur gears will be the subject of further research, where suitability will be assessed based on stiffness of teeth and wheel weight.


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