Index Finger Pad Research Articles

Investigation of friction mechanisms in finger pad sliding against surfaces of varying roughness

Human finger pad friction and the effects of surface features on the fingerprint ridges, shape of the finger and the material properties of the finger were investigated. The friction coefficients for three fine-grit abrasive papers were measured to assess these effects. Four probing surfaces were used: human index finger pad, silicone replicas of the finger with and without fingerprints, and a smooth silicone sphere. Friction tests were performed at a constant normal load of 0.5 N in two probe orientations: normal and perpendicular to the orientation of the fingerprint ridges. Scanning electron microscopy of the abrasive papers was performed to examine their surface topography. Based on the trends in coefficients of friction, topography of the abrasive papers, surface features of the finger pad, and the shape and elastic properties of the finger, possible friction mechanisms were discussed. It was inferred that the change in the shape of the probe (from a sphere to the finger shape) changes the adhesion and deformation components of friction, the presence of fingerprints adds an interlocking contribution to the friction and decrease the adhesion and deformation components of friction, and the elastic properties of the finger lead to an increase in all the three components of friction. • Effects of adhesion, deformation and interlocking friction mechanisms were all observed fingertips sliding against rough abrasive papers. • Surface roughness was found to be a primary factor in the control of friction coefficient during dry sliding of the fingertip • Silicone simulants with and without fingerprint ridges were found to model the tribological behavior fairly well against the surfaces of different roughness.

Digit forces bias sensorimotor transformations underlying control of fingertip position.

Humans are able to modulate digit forces as a function of position despite changes in digit placement that might occur from trial to trial or when changing grip type for object manipulation. Although this phenomenon is likely to rely on sensing the position of the digits relative to each other and the object, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. To address this question, we asked subjects (n = 30) to match perceived vertical distance between the center of pressure (CoP) of the thumb and index finger pads (dy) of the right hand (“reference” hand) using the same hand (“test” hand). The digits of reference hand were passively placed collinearly (dy = 0 mm). Subjects were then asked to exert different combinations of normal and tangential digit forces (Fn and Ftan, respectively) using the reference hand and then match the memorized dy using the test hand. The reference hand exerted Ftan of thumb and index finger in either same or opposite direction. We hypothesized that, when the tangential forces of the digits are produced in opposite directions, matching error (1) would be biased toward the directions of the tangential forces; and (2) would be greater when the remembered relative contact points are matched with negligible digit force production. For the test hand, digit forces were either negligible (0.5–1 N, 0 ± 0.25 N; Experiment 1) or the same as those exerted by the reference hand (Experiment 2).Matching error was biased towards the direction of digit tangential forces: thumb CoP was placed higher than the index finger CoP when thumb and index finger Ftan were directed upward and downward, respectively, and vice versa (p < 0.001). However, matching error was not dependent on whether the reference and test hand exerted similar or different forces. We propose that the expected sensory consequence of motor commands for tangential forces in opposite directions overrides estimation of fingertip position through haptic sensory feedback.

Online kinematic regulation by visual feedback for grasp versus transport during reach-to-pinch

PurposeThis study investigated novel kinematic performance parameters to understand regulation by visual feedback (VF) of the reaching hand on the grasp and transport components during the reach-to-pinch maneuver. Conventional metrics often signify discrete movement features to postulate sensory-based control effects (e.g., time for maximum velocity to signify feedback delay). The presented metrics of this study were devised to characterize relative vision-based control of the sub-movements across the entire maneuver. MethodsMovement performance was assessed according to reduced variability and increased efficiency of kinematic trajectories. Variability was calculated as the standard deviation about the observed mean trajectory for a given subject and VF condition across kinematic derivatives for sub-movements of inter-pad grasp (distance between thumb and index finger-pads; relative orientation of finger-pads) and transport (distance traversed by wrist). A Markov analysis then examined the probabilistic effect of VF on which movement component exhibited higher variability over phases of the complete maneuver. Jerk-based metrics of smoothness (minimal jerk) and energy (integrated jerk-squared) were applied to indicate total movement efficiency with VF. Results/discussionThe reductions in grasp variability metrics with VF were significantly greater (p<.05) compared to transport for velocity, acceleration, and jerk, suggesting separate control pathways for each component. The Markov analysis indicated that VF preferentially regulates grasp over transport when continuous control is modeled probabilistically during the movement. Efficiency measures demonstrated VF to be more integral for early motor planning of grasp than transport in producing greater increases in smoothness and trajectory adjustments (i.e., jerk-energy) early compared to late in the movement cycle. ConclusionsThese findings demonstrate the greater regulation by VF on kinematic performance of grasp compared to transport and how particular features of this relativistic control occur continually over the maneuver. Utilizing the advanced performance metrics presented in this study facilitated characterization of VF effects continuously across the entire movement in corroborating the notion of separate control pathways for each component.

A new perceptual paradigm to investigate the visual remapping of others’ tactile sensations onto one’s own body shows “mirror touch” for the hands

The last two decades have seen a multitude of publications showing the activation of an observer’s somatosensory cortical system during the observation of touch on another person. Behavioral demonstrations of “mirror touch,” however, have been slow in coming forward, and have so far primarily been shown as “visual remapping of touch” on the face. The present study uses a new paradigm to investigate the mirroring of others’ tactile sensations: a 2-AFC task of intensity judgment for touch on the observer’s left and right index finger pads. Observers viewed a left and right hand in an egocentric position, which were either touched passively (pencil moving to touch index finger pad) or actively sought touch (index finger moving to touch pencil). Touch and no-touch events for the two viewed hands were designed to eliminate confounding effects of spatial attention. Felt touches were either concurrent with viewed touch or no-touch events, or were delayed in time to assess potential response bias. The findings demonstrate visual remapping of touch for touch on the hands. If touch was shown on one of the hands only (e.g., left), observers were more likely to perceive touch on the same hand (i.e., their own left hand) as more intense than touch on the other hand even if tactile intensities did not differ, compared to touch shown on both or neither hand. These remapping effects occurred only when viewed and felt touches were concurrent, they were strongly modulated by the way in which viewed touch was incurred, and they were more reliable for touch on the left hand. A second, control experiment, in which touch observation was replaced by bright dots shown on or next to the finger pads, confirmed that these effects were largely due to genuine tactile mirroring rather than to somatotopic cueing. This 2-AFC tactile intensity judgment task may be a useful paradigm to investigate the remapping of others’ tactile sensations onto an observer’s own body.

Haptic-Motor Transformations for the Control of Finger Position

Dexterous manipulation relies on modulation of digit forces as a function of digit placement. However, little is known about the sense of position of the vertical distance between finger pads relative to each other. We quantified subjects' ability to match perceived vertical distance between the thumb and index finger pads (dy) of the right hand (“reference” hand) using the same or opposite hand (“test” hand) after a 10-second delay without vision of the hands. The reference hand digits were passively placed non-collinearly so that the thumb was higher or lower than the index finger (dy = 30 or –30 mm, respectively) or collinearly (dy = 0 mm). Subjects reproduced reference hand dy by using a congruent or inverse test hand posture while exerting negligible digit forces onto a handle. We hypothesized that matching error (reference hand dy minus test hand dy) would be greater (a) for collinear than non-collinear dys, (b) when reference and test hand postures were not congruent, and (c) when subjects reproduced dy using the opposite hand. Our results confirmed our hypotheses. Under-estimation errors were produced when the postures of reference and test hand were not congruent, and when test hand was the opposite hand. These findings indicate that perceived finger pad distance is reproduced less accurately (1) with the opposite than the same hand and (2) when higher-level processing of the somatosensory feedback is required for non-congruent hand postures. We propose that erroneous sensing of finger pad distance, if not compensated for during contact and onset of manipulation, might lead to manipulation performance errors as digit forces have to be modulated to perceived digit placement.

Effects of distance and direction on tangential tactile perception of the index finger pad

SUMMARYTangential motion on a finger pad is a promising method of transmitting directional tactile information to human users. This study examined the identification and discrimination of tangential force motion on an index finger pad. An experimental device was built to automatically and randomly move a small probe in eight radial directions (45° apart) and two distances (0.5 and 1.5 mm). Index fingers of 62 subjects were tested. The results showed that moving the probe at 1.5 mm was detected with more accuracy than the 0.5 mm one. And, the absolute direction was not a statistically significant variable affecting accuracy for 1.5 mm distance, but was a significant effect for 0.5 mm distance. Implications of these results are discussed and future developments are offered within the context of a proposed Braille design with tangential actuators.

J162013 指先皮膚感覚による凸点知覚特性 : アクティブホイールマウスに向けて([J162]メカニカルデバイス・システムの知能化:機械の知能化を学際的に考える)

The objective of this study is to develop a device for visual impaired persons : the device enables persons to perceive geometrical information via fingerpad cutaneous sensation. In this paper, as the first step, we propose a system to present slip page via a wheel rotating on an index fingerpad. To improve the perceptual characteristics of the fingertip cutaneous sensation, we have introduced raised dots on sliding plane surfaces: a series of raised dots were configured with the rotating wheel. We have examined the perception characteristics of the slide length and direction via psychophysical experiments. Then, we created a function model from experimental results, and, by applying ANOVA, it was confirmed that there was a significant difference among three surface modes: without -raised dot, 3.2mm-period of raised dots, and 12.8 mm-period of raised dots.

Stick–slip phenomena in the friction of human skin

The stick–slip behaviour of the index finger pad sliding on wet, smooth glass was investigated as a function of normal force and sliding velocity in friction measurements using a tri-axial force plate. The friction coefficients during stick–slip (0.53±0.21) were found to be typically 30% lower than those of stationary sliding (0.78±0.35). Stick–slip friction either occurred continuously throughout entire friction measurements or alternated with stationary sliding phases. During stick–slip the amplitude of the friction coefficient generally varied more than ±25% about the mean, whereas stationary sliding was characterized by variations smaller than ±10%. The load-dependence of the overall friction coefficients as well as those for stationary sliding and stick–slip friction was in agreement with the adhesion friction model. In addition, the friction coefficients decreasing with increasing sliding velocity indicated friction in the mixed lubrication regime. Results obtained on stick–slip friction of the finger pad might be useful in connection with the development of artificial skin in robotics and for the control of stick–slip friction between precision tools and soft tissue.

Influence of variations in the pressure distribution on the friction of the finger pad

We investigated the influence of the contact pressure distribution on the friction of the index finger pad. The skin contact pressure distributions were characterised by round profiles for low forces. At higher loads, the pressure distributions of the finger pad became asymmetric and conical. Additional experiments with the knuckle revealed pressure distributions with sharp peaks. The friction coefficients of the finger pad and the knuckle indicated a common behaviour in accordance with the adhesion friction model. Varying pressure distributions were found to influence the friction coefficients of skin, contributing to the variation of measurement results at comparable normal loads.

A Study on the Duration and Speed Sensibility via Finger-Pad Cutaneous Sensations

This paper presents slippage length-and-direction perceptual functions via finger-pad cutaneous sensations, which were obtained from experiments where the linear plane moves at a constant speed while in contact with finger on an index finger pad. Two conditions were compared in this study: (1) double task condition, i.e., the speed and duration-time varied condition, (2) a pair of single task conditions, i.e., either the speed or the duration-time fixed and the remaining varied conditions. It was found that, for a systematic error, there was no significant difference in the length perceptual abilities between the two conditions, and subjects were also unable to perceive the lengths in the duration-time-fixed and speed-varied condition. They suggest that, although the subjects may perceive the lengths to some extent, they almost cannot perceive the slip speeds, but they may actually perceive speed-perturbed duration times. (2) The perceptual random errors of slipping direction were examined, and were quantified by the standard deviation of 20 degrees.

Short-Term Visual Deprivation Does Not Enhance Passive Tactile Spatial Acuity

An important unresolved question in sensory neuroscience is whether, and if so with what time course, tactile perception is enhanced by visual deprivation. In three experiments involving 158 normally sighted human participants, we assessed whether tactile spatial acuity improves with short-term visual deprivation over periods ranging from under 10 to over 110 minutes. We used an automated, precisely controlled two-interval forced-choice grating orientation task to assess each participant's ability to discern the orientation of square-wave gratings pressed against the stationary index finger pad of the dominant hand. A two-down one-up staircase (Experiment 1) or a Bayesian adaptive procedure (Experiments 2 and 3) was used to determine the groove width of the grating whose orientation each participant could reliably discriminate. The experiments consistently showed that tactile grating orientation discrimination does not improve with short-term visual deprivation. In fact, we found that tactile performance degraded slightly but significantly upon a brief period of visual deprivation (Experiment 1) and did not improve over periods of up to 110 minutes of deprivation (Experiments 2 and 3). The results additionally showed that grating orientation discrimination tends to improve upon repeated testing, and confirmed that women significantly outperform men on the grating orientation task. We conclude that, contrary to two recent reports but consistent with an earlier literature, passive tactile spatial acuity is not enhanced by short-term visual deprivation. Our findings have important theoretical and practical implications. On the theoretical side, the findings set limits on the time course over which neural mechanisms such as crossmodal plasticity may operate to drive sensory changes; on the practical side, the findings suggest that researchers who compare tactile acuity of blind and sighted participants should not blindfold the sighted participants.

Coordination of fingertip forces in object transport during gait in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy

Coordination of fingertip forces in object transport during gait in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy

A new device to quantify tactile sensation in neuropathy

To devise a rapid, sensitive method to quantify tactile threshold of finger pads for early detection and staging of peripheral neuropathy and for use in clinical trials. Subjects were 166 healthy controls and 103 patients with, or at risk for, peripheral neuropathy. Subjects were screened by questionnaire. The test device, the Bumps, is a checkerboard-like smooth surface with 12 squares; each square encloses 5 colored circles. The subject explores the circles of each square with the index finger pad to locate the one circle containing a small bump. Bumps in different squares have different heights. Detection threshold is defined as the smallest bump height detected. In some subjects, a 3-mm skin biopsy from the tested finger pad was taken to compare density of Meissner corpuscles (MCs) to bump detection thresholds. The mean (±SEM) bump detection threshold for control subjects was 3.3 ± 0.10 μm. Threshold and test time were age related, older subjects having slightly higher thresholds and using more time. Mean detection threshold of patients with neuropathy (6.2 ± 0.35 μm) differed from controls (p < 0.001). A proposed threshold for identifying impaired sensation had a sensitivity of 71% and specificity of 74%. Detection threshold was higher when MC density was decreased. These preliminary studies suggest that the Bumps test is a rapid, sensitive, inexpensive method to quantify tactile sensation of finger pads. It has potential for early diagnosis of tactile deficiency in subjects suspected of having neuropathy, for staging degree of tactile deficit, and for monitoring change over time.

The development and validation of sensory and emotional scales of touch perception

No comprehensive language exists that describes the experience of touch. Three experiments were conducted to take steps toward establishing a touch lexicon. In Experiment I, 49 participants rated how well 262 adjectives described sensory, emotional and evaluative aspects of touch. In Experiment II, participants rated pairwise dissimilarities of the most descriptive words of the set. Multidimensional scaling (MDS) solutions representing semantic-perceptual spaces underlying the words resulted in a touch perception task (TPT) consisting of 26 'sensory' attributes (e.g., bumpiness) and 14 'emotional' attributes (e.g., pleasurable). In Experiment III, 40 participants used the TPT to rate unseen textured materials that were moved actively or received passively against the index fingerpad, volar forearm, and two underarm sites. MDS confirmed similar semantic-perceptual structures in Experiments II and III. Factor analysis of Experiment III data decomposed the sensory attribute ratings into factors labeled Roughness, Slip, Pile and Firmness, and the emotional attribute ratings into Comfort and Arousal factors. Factor scores varied among materials and sites. Greater intensity of sensory and emotional responses were reported when participants passively, as opposed to actively, received stimuli. The sensitivity of the TPT in identifying body site and mode of touch-related perceptual differences affirms the validity and utility of this novel linguistic/perceptual tool.

Epithelial Responses to Rubbing-Related Mechanical Forces

To examine for epithelial thickness changes in response to compressive and shear forces associated with eye rubbing. The Holden-Payor optical pachometer was used to measure total and stromal-endothelial thickness, at central (right eye) and midperipheral (left eye) locations, for 12 subjects with normal corneas. Epithelial thickness was determined by subtraction. Baseline measurements were compared with measurements recorded immediately after 15 seconds of circular pattern rubbing over the cornea, using an index finger pad, and light to moderate force. Four subjects in each of 3 groups with mean ages of 19.5, 45.3, and 70.2 years were assessed. Measurement continued at 15-minute intervals until baseline thickness was restored. An 18.4% reduction in epithelial thickness was recorded immediately after rubbing for central right eye and midperipheral left eye assessments. Both findings were statistically significant (P < 0.05). Recovery to baseline thickness occurred between 15 and 30 minutes centrally and between 30 and 45 minutes midperipherally. These results indicate a statistically significant mechanical trauma to the epithelium after 15 seconds of light to moderate rubbing. With reference to the rheological properties of the cytoskeleton, an attempt to explain how the epithelium could lose and recover thickness has been made. Apart from cell flattening, displacement from the rubbed area of intercellular water, cytoplasm from ruptured cells, chains of wing cells, and mucin are suggested as possible thinning mechanisms. Extraneous eye rubbing may adversely alter the results obtained with pachymetry, videokeratography, wavefront aberrometry, refraction, and results obtained with orthokeratology contact lenses.

Differential effect of codeine on thermal nociceptive sensitivity in sleepy versus nonsleepy healthy subjects.

Basal sleepiness-alertness modulates drug effects. Sleepiness produced by sleep restriction leads to increased nociceptive sensitivity, suggesting opioid analgesia may also be modulated by sleepiness-alertness. This study compared thermal nociceptive sensitivity in sleepy versus nonsleepy participants after codeine or placebo. Twelve healthy normal adults, 18 to 35 years of age, had an 8-hr nocturnal polysomnogram (NPSG) followed by a Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT; Carskadon and Dement, 1987). All had sleep efficiencies > 80% on their NPSG; 6 had average MSLT >or= 8 min (nonsleepy group) and 6 had latencies < 8 min (sleepy group). Participants were assessed following 8-hr time-in-bed with standard MSLT, and nociceptive assessments (using a radiant heat stimulation method) were conducted the following day with codeine 30 mg b.i.d. (0900 and 1300) or placebo b.i.d. Finger withdrawal latency (FWL) in seconds was measured to 5 different heat intensities randomly presented to the index finger pad of each hand. Mean +/- 1 SD MSLT values in the sleepy group were 4.72 +/- 1.83 min and 13.04 +/- 4.90 min in the nonsleepy group. As hypothesized, increased FWL (decreased nociception) was observed with lower heat intensities, codeine, and in the nonsleepy group. More important, there was a Group x Drug interaction with codeine increasing FWL in the nonsleepy, but not the sleepy, group. These data show the analgesic effects of codeine are diminished in sleepy versus nonsleepy individuals. They suggest clinical differences in response to analgesics are partly explained by basal state of sleepiness-alertness.

Somatosensory‐evoked cortical activity in spastic diplegic cerebral palsy

Somatosensory deficits have been identified in cerebral palsy (CP), but associated cortical brain activity in CP remains poorly understood. Functional MRI was used to measure blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) responses during three tactile tasks in 10 participants with spastic diplegia (mean age: 18.70 years, SD: 7.99 years; 5 females) and 10 age-matched controls (mean age: 18.60 years, SD: 3.86 years; 5 females). Tactile stimulation involved servo-controlled translation of smooth or embossed surfaces across the right index finger pad; the discrimination tasks with embossed surfaces involved judging whether (1) paired shapes were similar or different, and (2) a rougher set of horizontal gratings preceded or followed a smoother one. Velocity and duration of surface translation was identical across all trials. In addition, an event-related design revealed response dynamics per trial in both groups. Compared to controls, individuals with spastic diplegia had significantly reduced spatial extents in activated cortical areas and smaller BOLD response magnitudes in cortical areas for somatosensation, motor, and goal-directed/attention behaviors. These results provide mechanisms for the widespread somatosensory deficits in CP. The reduced activation noted across multiple cortical areas might contribute to motor deficits in CP.

Friction of human skin against smooth and rough glass as a function of the contact pressure

The friction behaviour of human skin was studied by combining friction measurements using a tri-axial force plate with skin contact area measurements using a pressure sensitive film. Four subjects carried out friction measurement series, in which they rubbed the index finger pad and the edge of the hand against a smooth and a rough glass surface under dry and wet conditions. The normal loads were varied up to values of 50 N, leading to skin contact pressures of up to 120 kPa. The analysis of the pressure dependence of friction coefficients of skin for contrasting sliding conditions allowed to determine the involved friction mechanisms on the basis of theoretical concepts for the friction of elastomers. Adhesion was found to be involved in all investigated cases of friction between skin and glass. If adhesion mechanisms predominated (skin against smooth glass in the dry condition and skin against rough glass in the wet condition), the friction coefficients were generally high (typically >1) and decreased with increasing contact pressure according to power laws with typical exponents between −0.5 and −0.2. Contributions to the friction coefficient due to viscoelastic skin deformations were estimated to be relatively small (<0.2). In those cases where the deformation component of friction played an important role in connection with adhesion (skin against rough glass in the dry condition), the friction coefficients of skin were typically around 0.5 and their pressure dependence showed weak trends characterised by exponents ranging from −0.1 to +0.2. If hydrodynamic lubrication came into play (skin sliding on smooth glass in the wet condition), the friction coefficients were strongly reduced compared to dry friction (<1), and their decrease with increasing contact pressures was characterised by exponents of <−0.7.

Multiple parietal operculum subdivisions in humans: Tactile activation maps

We focused the present analysis on blood-oxygen-level-dependent responses evoked in four architectonic subdivisions of human posterior parietal operculum (PO) during two groups of tasks involving either vibrotactile stimulation or rubbing different surfaces against the right index finger pad. Activity localized in previously defined parietal opercular subdivisions, OP 1–4, was co-registered to a standard cortical surface-based atlas. Four vibrotactile stimulation tasks involved attention to the parameters of paired vibrations: (1) detect rare target trials when vibration frequencies matched; (2) select the presentation order of the vibration with a higher frequency or (3) longer duration; and (4) divide attention between frequency and duration before selecting stimulus order. Surface stimulation tasks involved various discriminations of different surfaces: (1) smooth surfaces required no discrimination; (2) paired horizontal gratings required determination of the direction of roughness change; (3) paired shapes entailed identifying matched and unmatched shapes; (4) raised letters involved letter recognition. The results showed activity in multiple somatosensory subdivisions bilaterally in human PO that are plausibly homologues of somatosensory areas previously described in animals. All tasks activated OP 1, but in vibrotactile tasks foci were more restricted compared to moving surface tasks. Greater spatial extents of activity especially in OP 1 and 4 when surfaces rubbed the finger pad did not support previously reported somatotopy of the second finger representation in “S2”. The varied activity distributions across OP subdivisions may reflect low-level perceptual and/or cognitive processing differences between tasks.

Images in Emergency Medicine

A 19-year-old previously healthy man complained of a sore throat for 5 days, accompanied by fever and chills. He then developed pain and swelling in his left knee and thigh. On the day before his presentation, he noticed pain and discoloration of 2 fingertips on his right hand. Our evaluation revealed a tense and indurated left thigh and knee. A large pustule was present on his left index finger pad, with small lesions at the base (Figure 1). His right middle and ring finger pads had areas of frank necrosis (Figure 2).