A Combined Digital Camera - EMT System to Measure Human Body Composition

HS Tapp1, D Goss2, R O Mackin2, E Crescenzo3, W A Wan-Daud2, C Ktistis2 and A J Peyton2

1 Institute of Food Research, Colney, Norwich, NR4 7UA, UK, henri.tapp@bbsrc.ac.uk

2 Engineering Department, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YR, UK

3 IXTREM, 9 Rue Edouard Denis Baldus, 71100, Chalon sur Saone, France

ABSTRACT

This paper describes the development of a combined electromagnetic tomography (EMT) – structured light (SL) body scanner for the simultaneous estimation of total body water (TBW) and volume (TBV). SL is an optical method of mapping surface contours. The use of electrical methods to determine TBW is not new, and the optical determination of TBV has been proposed of some time. This system however is novel in three respects: it is the first time EMT has been used for human body composition; it contains the first dedicated digital camera & line projector array for assessing composition; and it is the first time that two techniques have been so closely integrated. The paper will describe the progress to date and compare this approach to existing compositional methods. The manner in which the data is used to predict composition will be discussed including the perceived benefits of adopting a combined modality approach, and additional uses of the information obtained.

Keywords Body composition, 3 component model, photonic scanning, magnetic induction tomography