Author : Qutubuddin S.M, S.S.Hebbal and A.C.S.Kumar

The present study is aimed to evaluate the extent of mismatch between different dimensions of students furniture and the respective anthropometric measures of students. For this purpose, 400 engineering students in the age group 18-24 years were randomly selected from engineering colleges in North Karnataka . The dimensions of the students desks available in the classrooms were taken. The class room furniture was evaluated with a defined match criterion given by various researchers. For the evaluation of classroom furniture a match criterion equation was defined. After considering the existing classroom furniture dimensions in each match criterion equation, the anthropometric characteristics of the considered population were compared in order to determine the mismatch between them. The results from the present study show that the college furniture is far from compatible with the anthropometric measurements of the students. there was a significant difference between the desk height and the sum of elbow rest height and popliteal height of the students, seat height and popliteal height, seat width and buttock popliteal length.. Incompatible furniture forced the students to adopt unnatural postures (lateral bend, forward bend, twisting, etc.) in the classroom for long periods, which imposes physical and mental strain on the students. It is recommended to develop an anthropometric database of students and on the basis of it, at the time of renewal of furniture, take into consideration this information either to gain adjustable furniture or possibly acquire, in size, three types of desks, large, medium and small so that students have the options and find the most suited to their anthropometry.

Key words: Anthropometry, College Furniture, Students, Posture

Article published in International Journal of Current  Engineering  and Technology, Vol.3,No.4(Oct- 2013)