Structured XML Schema and Digital Descriptor for Anthropometry Measurement Definition

摘要

Currently, anthropometry measurements are defined by individual investigators of surveys or studies in unformatted descriptive text and drawings. They are simple to create but have two significant problems - 1) lack of precision due to the possible different interpretations and understandings on words by different people 2) unrecognizable and unusable by computers because there is no meta-data or ontology to regulate and format the description. These problems greatly hinder the integration and utilization of worldwide anthropometry resources. This paper introduces a structured anthropometry naming method and its implementation into the “Anthropometry XML” schema. A digital descriptor that digitizes the naming method into an efficient indexing mechanism is also presented by this paper. The naming method models a measurement into a hierarchy comprising of three components - measurement type, posture, and instrument. Through combination of these three components, the naming method can be used to create new or define existing anthropometry measurements in a normative format instead of arbitrary descriptive text. The design of digital descriptor is based on the structure of the naming method. It's a variable-length string formed through concatenation of several groups of two-or three-digit numerical bins. Each bin corresponds to one element in the naming structure. In general, the anthropometry XML schema developed from the structured naming method provides a template for non-subjective and language neutral descriptions of measurements. It offers an ontological foundation to automatic search, share, and integrate worldwide anthropometry resources through computer data network. The associated digital descriptors provide the critical technical means for accomplishing this goal efficiently.