Most of us know what a mannequin is but less know what a Manikin is. We discuss this point of confusion for many.
Lets being with the Mannequin
Mannequins
Invented in 1835 and ordinally in use to display clothes as is the fashion today, the first mannequins were also a tool for Nuclear tests as dummies to see effects on a ‘human’ with nuclear bombs. The first wirework mannequins were made in Paris in 1835. See Mannequins. Today, we have all seen these in the shop windows draped in the latest styles of ones taste. From big names to small names all using mannequins to showcase their best threads. Clothing store mannequins have 18 types. All of which is various styles from sporty, pregnant, young, old etc. Most have detachable points that are the limbs of the mannequin. Some are just a torso base or waist up but most are standing from a podium. As far as colours go they are quite colourless and lack design visually, yet not physically.
Manikins
Apart from the clothing style Mannequin we also have the ‘Manikin’. Manikins are most often used in Medical, Military and Law Enforcement just to name a few. One of the core differences is that a Manikin will simulate the human body, not just visually but also functionally. Because of this, medical staff for instance, they can simulate medical exercises with the manikins in specific courses or procedures and much like in the Military they can practise trauma intervention and blood management exercises. This allows both medical and military staff to also become accustom to not just the training and learning at hand, but also to deal with graphic scenarios and shock.
High Fidelity Manikins
The high fidelity manikins are the ultra realistic manikins that look and behave like a human. If it was a medical manikin it may breath with chest motion or even bleed. They can also have sound, limb movement and facial movements. Clearly once this is part of the equation, the training is more complex and thorough. High fidelity manikins much like Mimikin are designed for comprehensive training that is invokes more dimension.
Low Fidelity Manikins
As with the low fidelity manikins, they are more simple much like a CPR dummy or rescue manikin. With rescue manikins the main goal is to retrieve the casualty and practise this motion at hand with not much more. Naturally the whole point of a manikin is to avoid such simulations and training drills without humans involved. This is key for safety and many other reasons. Similarly, all manikins or mannequins act as a simulator of a human.
Origin of both names ‘Manikin’ and ‘Mannequin’
The word ‘Manneken’ that is Flemish and means ‘little man’ while the form of the French version of the word is ‘Mannequin’ which means ‘artificial man’. For more information about AJAX click here