People with Down syndrome have morphological and functional characteristics that differ from the general population, which may lead to significant difficulties when using clothing available on the market. These difficulties result in discomfort, poor fit, and reduced autonomy, with a direct impact on quality of life and self-esteem. At the same time, the clothing industry tends to rely on generalized anthropometric standards, which exclude populations with specific needs and highlight a gap in adapting products for groups with disabilities.
Home / Publications / Publication
Home / Publications / Publication
INCLUSIVE CLOTHING DESIGN FOR PEOPLE WITH DOWN SYNDROME BASED ON DIGITAL ANTHROPOMETRY
Publication type: Article Summary
Original title: Clothing design for young people with Down syndrome, based on an anthropometric study using 3D body scanning
Article publication date: November 2016
Source: University of Minho – School of Engineering
Author(s): Rochelne Bezerra de Menezes Gonçalves Barboza
Supervisor(s): Professor Doutor Miguel Ângelo Fernandes Carvalho
What is the goal, target audience, and areas of digital health it addresses?
The objective of this study is to promote the social inclusion of people with Down syndrome through the development of clothing adapted to their specific anthropometric and ergonomic characteristics, using three-dimensional body scanning technology. The target audience includes people with Down syndrome, particularly young people and adults, as well as professionals in design, health, ergonomics, and the textile industry. The work falls within areas such as digital health, digital anthropometry, inclusive design, ergonomics, and the use of body scanning technologies for biometric data analysis.
What is the context?
People with Down syndrome have morphological and functional characteristics that differ from the general population, which may lead to significant difficulties when using clothing available on the market. These difficulties result in discomfort, poor fit, and reduced autonomy, with a direct impact on quality of life and self-esteem. At the same time, the clothing industry tends to rely on generalized anthropometric standards, which exclude populations with specific needs and highlight a gap in adapting products for groups with disabilities.
What are the current approaches?
Traditional clothing development approaches are based on standardized measurement tables, generally derived from anthropometric studies of the general population, without considering specific variations associated with Down syndrome. In addition, classical anthropometry often relies on manual measurements that, although useful, have limitations in terms of precision and the ability to perform three-dimensional analysis of the human body. More recently, technologies such as the Body Scanner 3D have made it possible to collect body measurements with high precision and to conduct a more detailed analysis of proportions and volumes, although their application to inclusive design remains limited.
What does innovation consist of? How is the impact of this technology assessed?
The innovation of this study lies in the application of three-dimensional body scanning technology, through the Body Scanner 3D, to accurately characterize the anthropometric profile of people with Down syndrome and translate that information into practical clothing design solutions. Dozens of body variables were analyzed, and 33 measures relevant for pattern making were selected based on automatic measurements and statistical processing, including means and standard deviations. The impact of the approach was assessed through the comparison between the measurements obtained and conventional clothing standards, the identification of fit problems in commercial garments, and the validation of prototypes developed based on the collected data.
What are the main results? What is the impact of these results?
The results revealed significant anthropometric differences between people with Down syndrome and the standards used in the clothing industry, namely shorter average stature, shorter limbs relative to the torso, waist, abdomen, and hip circumferences close to one another, indicating a tendency toward an oval body shape, and also a larger neck circumference and shorter neck length. Analysis of the clothing available on the market revealed widespread inadequacies, such as excessive lengths, poor adaptation to the abdomen and hips, and misfits in crotch and waist patterning. Based on the data obtained, it was possible to develop clothing prototypes with significant improvements in comfort, anatomical fit, functionality, and usability, validated with the target population. These results demonstrate that inclusive design, supported by precise anthropometric data and digital technologies, can effectively contribute to the social inclusion, autonomy, and quality of life of people with Down syndrome.
Would you like to know all the details?
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Home / Publications / Publication
INCLUSIVE CLOTHING DESIGN FOR PEOPLE WITH DOWN SYNDROME BASED ON DIGITAL ANTHROPOMETRY
Publication type: Article Summary
Original title: Clothing design for young people with Down syndrome, based on an anthropometric study using 3D body scanning
Article publication date: November 2016
Source: University of Minho – School of Engineering
Author(s): Rochelne Bezerra de Menezes Gonçalves Barboza
Supervisor(s): Professor Doutor Miguel Ângelo Fernandes Carvalho
What is the goal, target audience, and areas of digital health it addresses?
The objective of this study is to promote the social inclusion of people with Down syndrome through the development of clothing adapted to their specific anthropometric and ergonomic characteristics, using three-dimensional body scanning technology. The target audience includes people with Down syndrome, particularly young people and adults, as well as professionals in design, health, ergonomics, and the textile industry. The work falls within areas such as digital health, digital anthropometry, inclusive design, ergonomics, and the use of body scanning technologies for biometric data analysis.
What is the context?
People with Down syndrome have morphological and functional characteristics that differ from the general population, which may lead to significant difficulties when using clothing available on the market. These difficulties result in discomfort, poor fit, and reduced autonomy, with a direct impact on quality of life and self-esteem. At the same time, the clothing industry tends to rely on generalized anthropometric standards, which exclude populations with specific needs and highlight a gap in adapting products for groups with disabilities.
What are the current approaches?
Traditional clothing development approaches are based on standardized measurement tables, generally derived from anthropometric studies of the general population, without considering specific variations associated with Down syndrome. In addition, classical anthropometry often relies on manual measurements that, although useful, have limitations in terms of precision and the ability to perform three-dimensional analysis of the human body. More recently, technologies such as the Body Scanner 3D have made it possible to collect body measurements with high precision and to conduct a more detailed analysis of proportions and volumes, although their application to inclusive design remains limited.
What does innovation consist of? How is the impact of this technology assessed?
The innovation of this study lies in the application of three-dimensional body scanning technology, through the Body Scanner 3D, to accurately characterize the anthropometric profile of people with Down syndrome and translate that information into practical clothing design solutions. Dozens of body variables were analyzed, and 33 measures relevant for pattern making were selected based on automatic measurements and statistical processing, including means and standard deviations. The impact of the approach was assessed through the comparison between the measurements obtained and conventional clothing standards, the identification of fit problems in commercial garments, and the validation of prototypes developed based on the collected data.
What are the main results? What is the impact of these results?
The results revealed significant anthropometric differences between people with Down syndrome and the standards used in the clothing industry, namely shorter average stature, shorter limbs relative to the torso, waist, abdomen, and hip circumferences close to one another, indicating a tendency toward an oval body shape, and also a larger neck circumference and shorter neck length. Analysis of the clothing available on the market revealed widespread inadequacies, such as excessive lengths, poor adaptation to the abdomen and hips, and misfits in crotch and waist patterning. Based on the data obtained, it was possible to develop clothing prototypes with significant improvements in comfort, anatomical fit, functionality, and usability, validated with the target population. These results demonstrate that inclusive design, supported by precise anthropometric data and digital technologies, can effectively contribute to the social inclusion, autonomy, and quality of life of people with Down syndrome.
Would you like to know all the details?
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The human hand is a highly complex anatomical structure, with more than 30 muscles, 27 bones, and thousands of nerve endings that together provide remarkable dexterity and precision. Its versatility makes it central to independence…
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The European Commission has amended the Digital Europe Programme work programmes 2023-2024, investing an additional €762.7 million in Europe’s digital transition and cybersecurity. The digital transition is the main work programme with a budget of…
SPMS Integrates the TEF-Health Initiative
SPMS participates in the TEF-Health initiative as a partner in a consortium composed of 51 entities from 9 European Union countries. This action is co-financed by the European Commission and has a duration of five…
FMUP Creates Inhealth Junior Academy for High School Students
The InHealth Junior Academy — Academia Júnior de Inovação em Saúde is an initiative of the Departamento de Medicina da Comunidade, Informação e Decisão em Saúde da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade do Porto (FMUP)….
SPMS Represents Portugal as Vice-president of GDHP
The GDHP is an intergovernmental organization in the digital health sector that facilitates cooperation and collaboration between government representatives and the World Health Organization (WHO). Its purpose is to foster policymaking that promote the digitalization…
Digital Transformation of Health at INCoDe.2030 in Tomar
The “National Digital Skills Initiative e.2030, Portugal” (INCoDe.2030) is an initiative that aims to improve the Portuguese population’s level of digital skills, placing Portugal at the level of the most advanced European countries in this…
Braga Hospital Evaluates Memory With Interactive Game in Patients With Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple Sclerosis is known as a chronic disease of the central nervous system, with a wide variety of motor and sensory symptoms that can lead to work disability, socioeconomic burden, and reduced quality of life…
Neurosurgery Teleconsultation Wins Innovation Award
The aim of the BI Award for Innovation in Healthcare is to recognize innovative projects in the healthcare sector that improve the quality of life for the Portuguese people. In 2021, the specific theme was…
HealthData@PT: New SPMS Initiative for Health Data
Action HealthData@PT is launched in the context of the implementation of the European Health Data Space, and is an initiative approved by the European Commission under the EU4Health 2021-2027 programme. This initiative contributes to the…
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