title: Anthropometry of external auditory canal by non-contactable measurement.
abstract: Human ear canals cannot be measured directly with existing general measurement tools. Furthermore, general non-contact optical methods can only conduct simple peripheral measurements of the auricle and cannot obtain the internal ear canal shape-related measurement data. Therefore, this study uses the computed tomography (CT) technology to measure the geometric shape of the ear canal and the shape of the ear canal using a non-invasive method, and to complete the anthropometry of external auditory canal. The results of the study show that the average height and width of ear canal openings, and the average depth of the first bend for men are generally longer, wider and deeper than those for women. In addition, the difference between the height and width of the ear canal opening is about 40% (p < 0.05). Hence, the circular cross-section shape of the earplugs should be replaced with an elliptical cross-section shape during manufacturing for better fitting.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Medical Mechatronics, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Taiouan Interdisciplinary Otolaryngology Laboratory, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan. Electronic address: jfyu.phd@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Jen-Fang
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Taiouan Interdisciplinary Otolaryngology Laboratory, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Department of Electrical Engineering, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Kun-Che
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Taiouan Interdisciplinary Otolaryngology Laboratory, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ren-Hung
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Taiouan Interdisciplinary Otolaryngology Laboratory, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yen-Sheng
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Taiouan Interdisciplinary Otolaryngology Laboratory, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chun-Chieh
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.affiliation: Department of Prosthodontics, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ying-Chin
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: Center for Measurement Standards, Industrial Technology Research Institute, Hsinchu, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Tsung-Hsien
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Tu
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Chung Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ching-I
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, Council of Labor Affairs, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Kuei-Yi
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000886:Anthropometry / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D004424:Ear Canal / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Anthropometry; Computed tomography; External auditory canal