title: Height estimations based on eye measurements throughout a gait cycle.
abstract: Anthropometric measurements (e.g. the height to the head, nose tip, eyes or shoulders) of a perpetrator based on video material may be used in criminal cases. However, several height measurements may be difficult to assess as the perpetrators may be disguised by clothes or headwear. The eye height (EH) measurement, on the other hand, is less prone to concealment. The purpose of the present study was to investigate: (1) how the eye height varies during the gait cycle, and (2) how the eye height changes with head position. The eyes were plotted manually in APAS for 16 test subjects during a complete gait cycle. The influence of head tilt on the EH was investigated in 20 healthy men. Markers were attached to the face and the subjects were instructed to stand relaxed, tilt their head to the right, to the left, forward and backward. The marker data for the right eye were used to calculate the EH. The respective deviation and SD from the relaxed standing EH and the EH in the Frankfurt plane, left tilted, right tilted, forward tilted and backward tilted, in addition to the corresponding head tilt angles were calculated. There was no correlation between the height of the subject and the maximum vertical displacement of the EH throughout the gait cycle nor between height of the subjects and the variation of the EH throughout the gait cycle. The average maximum vertical displacement for the test subject group was 4.76 cm (± 1.56 cm). The average EH was lower when the subjects were standing in the relaxed position than in the Frankfurt plane. The average EH was higher in the relaxed position than when the subjects tilted their heads, except when they tilted their heads backwards. The subjects had a slightly larger range of motion to the right than to the left, which was not significant. The results of this study provide a range for eye height estimates and may be readily implemented in forensic case work. It can be used as a reference in height estimates in cases with height measurements based on time of the gait cycle and based on the degree of head tilt from video material. Our data also provide descriptive statistics which may be helpful when comparing eye height measurements of a perpetrator with one or more suspects.
authors: Unit of Forensic Anthropology, Department of Forensic Science, University of Copenhagen, Frederik V's Vej 11, PO Box 2713, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark. Electronic address: syly@sund.ku.dk.
authors: Sylvia X M
authors: SX
authors: Yang
authors: Unit of Forensic Anthropology, Department of Forensic Science, University of Copenhagen, Frederik V's Vej 11, PO Box 2713, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors: Peter K
authors: PK
authors: Larsen
authors: Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, DK-2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark.
authors: Tine
authors: T
authors: Alkjær
authors: Research Unit of Musculoskeletal Function and Physiotherapy, Institute of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, Campusvej 55, DK-5230 Odense M, Denmark.
authors: Birgit
authors: B
authors: Juul-Kristensen
authors: Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, DK-2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark.
authors: Erik B
authors: EB
authors: Simonsen
authors: Unit of Forensic Anthropology, Department of Forensic Science, University of Copenhagen, Frederik V's Vej 11, PO Box 2713, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors: Niels
authors: N
authors: Lynnerup
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000886:Anthropometry / Q000379:methods*; D056667:Biometric Identification / Q000379:methods; D001827:Body Height / Q000502:physiology*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D005123:Eye / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology*; D019416:Head Movements / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012984:Software; D014741:Video Recording
keywords: Anthropometric measurement; CCTV; Eye height; Forensic science; Gait analysis; Head tilt