| Digitizers and scanners have begun to replace traditional devices for measuring three dimensional objects. However, there is a shortage of relevant research to compare digitizer tools with other measuring devices. The objective of this study was to compare the measurement reliability of a sonic digitizer to a traditional measuring tool, the tape measure, for measuring a complex, three-dimensional object. It was hypothesized that: (H;The digitizer was a more reliable (i.e. showed less variability) measurement tool than a tape measure for five measurement locations on the complex object, especially for the object's poorly-defined areas. Measurement data from one location with body landmarks (center front) had less variability with the tape measure than with the digitizer tool.;The measurements with the two tools did not show overall differences in mean values (tool x location) when examined with a two-way analysis of variance. However, when using the Levene's ANOVA Transformation, variances of location and tool by location effects were significant. Based on the statistical analysis, both hypotheses were supported by the results and were accepted. |
