Abstract
In this study, we analyzed the resistible force for soft material fingertip via contact surface image analysis. The resistible force is defined as the maximum tangential force at which the fingertip can maintain contact when applying and increasing tangential/shearing force. In our previous study [3][4], harder fingertips produce larger resistible forces when semispherical and cylindrical fingertips with flat surfaces were used. When a tangential force was applied, large deformation by bending and shearing occurred in the soft fingertip. It is assumed that this deformation affected the deformation of the contact area and the stress distribution over the contact area. In this study, the stress distribution over the contact area was analyzed via contact surface image analysis in order to confirm this effect.
