Designing for the Life Span Segment 4
Designing for the Life Span Segment 4 
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Applications of Body Dimension Information... Seating.
Positioning of Individuals in Seating with Differing Body Dimensions.
A fundamental premise for the design of all seating is defining the position of the body regardless of body size. If a stationary seating device is the benchmark, small to tall individuals will generally assume a seated position that will have the hips located virtually in the same place. There will be very little difference in the conformation of varying body types at and around that location. However, there will be great variation in the location of the head, position of the eyes, location of the elbow and hands and the positioning of the feet on the floor plane. Many seating designs for office work station applications provide unnecessary vertical adjustment in lumbar support.
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The automotive industry has developed a useful technique for accommodating the range of users in any given automobile or "dynamic" seating device.
The location of the torsos of all body sizes are generally very close in proximity at the hips - and diverge away at the upper torso, head and neck and also at the lower extremities and the placement of the feet. Therefore it is useful to locate the range of body types anticipated as occupants of a seating device by using a common hip point. Doing so will result in less variation in the seat and the seated positioning with adjustability necessary in height off the floor or from the floor plane and also at the head rest.
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