Title: A Study to Predict Age from Ear Morphometry
Authors: Mithila Dayanithi, Pratishtha Potdar
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.18535/jmscr/v6i3.111
Abstract
Background: The ear’s shape and size completes the facial appearance, its morphometry helps to identify the age and gender of a person. It is known that gender dimorphism, difference in right and left ear exists in different ethnic groups. It is also known that the ear morphometry increases proportionally with age.
Aim: To measure the ear dimensions in men and women and correlate them with age. To predict age from ear dimensions.
Material and Method: Ear dimensions were measured in 100 people (50 men and 50 women) aged 18 to 57 years in a section of North India. Ear dimensions (EL, EW, LL and LW) were measured and statistically analysed with SPSS version 16.
Results: The ear morphometry were higher in the men than the women. The right ear dimensions were higher than the left in both the genders. Correlation of age with ear dimensions was done using correlation and regression analysis. Age was predicted from the ear dimension using the generated regression formula.
Conclusion: Ear dimensions were higher in men than in women. All the ear dimensions were higher in right ear in both genders, except for the left LL in men. Ear dimensions can serve as an additional tool to estimate age for forensic investigations and for surgical corrections of ear.
Keywords: Ear Morphometry, Age, Gender dimorphism, Correlation Regression analysis.
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