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32 GU I D E to Y E L L OW S P R I NG S | 2O22 – 2O23 and move it somewhere else,” Bradtmiller said. Cottom and Bradtmiller have owned the business since 1992, when they bought it from John and Mildred McConville. It was Anthrotech that brought the couple to town in 1983: Bradtmiller, who holds bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in anthropology, had been conduct - ing research in the field of paleo - pathology — the study of ancient diseases — at the University of Tennessee when he first heard about the work of Anthrotech. “I hadn’t really done any anthropometry before I came here, but I didn’t find any jobs in [the paleopathology field] — but this job was open,” Bradtmiller said. “I had a lot of anatomy training — and the McConvilles evidently thought I was trainable.” Anthrotech, originally called Anthropology Research Project, began as a collabora - tion between Antioch Col - lege and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base under the direc- tion of Antioch professor and researcher Edmund Churchill. The business eventually separated from the college and became a consultant to the U.S. Air Force and NASA. In 1977, under the direction of the McConvilles, it became independent. Throughout these years, the company’s work was mostly military- and government- based, providing measurements of human bodies to those entities to be used in crafting everything from uniforms to protective gear to workspaces. Bradtmiller said this period of the company’s history accounted for some of its most groundbreaking work — partic - ularly as women began to enter the military in broadened roles. “All of a sudden, women had to wear flight suits and various protective equipment,” he said. “Initially what the military was doing was simply making [uniforms and equipment] in a smaller size. We did a lot of work early on to show that, no, women are not actually just small men — it seems obvious, but at the time, that was the mindset, so we did a lot with proportional differences.” By the 1990s, the company had begun to transition away from working primarily with the government and the military, expanding into private sector contracts within the information technology industry — a shift that was signaled by the change of its name from Anthropology Research Project to Anthrotech. “Now we’re doing most of our work for the IT indus - try because all of the big IT companies are making things that fit on the head and the eyes and the ears, things that have to interact with the hand,” Bradtmiller said, referring to the modern trend toward common use of technology like smartphones, headphones, earbuds and headsets. When asked which IT companies are or have been contracted with Anthrotech, Meyer politely demurred, citing the company’s ongoing confidentiality agreement with its clients, but added: “The way that I like to describe it is that Anthrotech services at least five of the top 15 companies in this country.” Meyer explained that another area in which Anthro- tech has made strides over the years is in the way it collects data. Up until the last decade, he said, the tools of anthro - pometry were analog and manual: tape measure, calipers and anthropometer, a tool of the trade that consists of a long steel rod and two horizontal arms, one of which is adjust - able. While these tools are still used, in recent years Anthro - tech has shifted to collecting data via 3D scans — a particu - lar blessing as the company continued its work during the global pandemic. “If you think about COVID, it’s one of the fortuitous WELCOME HOME. Jo Dunphy, Broker ..................................................937-767-1140 Sheila Dunphy-Pallotta, Broker ..........................937-767-2100 Teresa Dunphy, Rentals & Property Mgr/Broker...... 937-767-1140 LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED SINCE 1960 937-767-1140 DunphyRealEstate.com 251 Xenia Avenue,Yellow Springs, OH