A two-scale FEM-BAM approach for fingerpad friction under electroadhesion

The complex physics behind electroadhesion-based tactile displays poses an enormous modeling challenge since not only the fingerpad structure with multiple nonlinear layers, but also the roughness at the microscopic scale play a decisive role. To investigate tactile perception, a potential model should also offer the possibility to extract mechanical stimuli at the sites of the relevant mechanoreceptors. In this paper, we present a two-scale approach that involves a finite element model (FEM) at the macroscopic scale and a simple bearing area model (BAM) that accounts for the measured roughness on the papillary ridges. Both separate scales couple in an iterative way using the concept of an equivalent air gap. We show that the electroadhesion-induced changes in friction and contact area predicted by the proposed model are in qualitative agreement with recent experimental studies. In a simple example, we demonstrate that the model can readily be extended by a neural dynamics model to investigate the tactile perception of electroadhesion.

Subjects

electroadhesion

FEM

finite element method

roughness models

skin microstructure

surface haptics

Physics - Soft Condensed Matter

Physics - Materials Science

DDC Class

530: Physik

Publication version

publishedVersion

Lizenz

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Name

fmech-08-1074393.pdf

Size

2.89 MB

Format

Adobe PDF

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A two-scale FEM-BAM approach for fingerpad friction under electroadhesion