3D finite element analysis of the frictional behavior of the human fingertip.

Although the tactile sensation is one of the most important senses, little quantitative research has been carried out to investigate the sense of the touch of the fingertip. We developed a three-dimensional finite element model of the fingertip and performed a determination of material properties using an optimization technique so that the contact area of finite element analysis corresponded with that of the experiment when a rigid plane was indented. The estimated material properties agreed with published data and the optimization method is considered to be effective. The finite element model slid on the rigid plane while indented using determined material properties and ABAQUS subroutine based on the rubber friction. At the low indentation depth, the stick-slip behavior of the finite element analysis mostly agreed with the experimental. However, when the indentation depth was increased, the frictional behavior in the tangential direction of the analysis was not consistent with that of the experiment because of the anisotropic in the shear direction. This study is an approach to understanding the friction and tactile sensation of the fingertip.