Abstract
Among all possible postures of the human body, NASA selected eight of principle importance for space exploration. The current article aims to determine the mass-inertial characteristics of the human body of the average Bulgarian male in one of these positions—the so-called relaxed, or weightless position. We determine the corresponding characteristics of the centre of mass and principal moments of inertia using a 16-segmental biomechanical mathematical model that is generated within the SolidWorks environment. We verify the model by comparing the analytical results for each of the body segments with the results obtained using the computer model. The geometric data needed for the construction of the 3D model are taken to be in correspondence with experimentally available anthropometric data for about 2500 Bulgarian men. One their basis one determines the characteristics of the average Bulgarian men. Then, using the CAD realization of the model the inertial parameters of this “average” male in different body positions can be determined. The comparison made between our model results described in this article and the data reported in the literature, where available, gives us confidence that the suggested model can be used to calculate the properties in question at any postures of the body of interest. In principle, our approach can be also used to calculate the corresponding mass inertial data for any individual provided that the anthropometric set of parameters for that individual are measured. The model we used is suitable when one needs such parameters in problems appearing not only in space exploration with the participation of male astronauts but also in rehabilitation, sport, criminology, robotics, etc.
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Acknowledgements
The financial support by the Bulgarian National Science Fund: Contract DN-07/5 “Study of anthropometric and mass-inertial characteristics of the Bulgarian men and women via mathematical models of the human body” is gratefully acknowledged.
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Nikolova, G., Dantchev, D., Kotev, V., Tsveov, M. (2021). The Human Body and Weightlessness: Mass-Inertial Characteristics in One of the Basic Positions Selected by NASA via 3D Mathematical Modelling. In: Jarm, T., Cvetkoska, A., Mahnič-Kalamiza, S., Miklavcic, D. (eds) 8th European Medical and Biological Engineering Conference. EMBEC 2020. IFMBE Proceedings, vol 80. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-64610-3_123
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