ArticlePloS one2022
Contact evolution of dry and hydrated fingertips at initial touch.
Article in PloS one, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. Cited by 5 papers.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
5 citing papers in PubMed.
- Decoupling parameters of adhesion from viscoelasticity in the human perception of stickinessMaterials horizons · 2026Article
- Frequency shaping of tactile perception via transcutaneous interferential electrical stimulation: a simulation study.Frontiers in neuroscience · 2026Article
- A review on finite element modelling of finger and hand mechanical behaviour in haptic interactions.Biomechanics and modeling in mechanobiology · 2025Review
- Article
- An individual's skin stiffness predicts their tactile discrimination of compliance.The Journal of physiology · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
- Erratum issued
Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Pressing the fingertips into surfaces causes skin deformations that enable humans to grip objects and sense their physical properties. This process involves intricate finger geometry, non-uniform tissue properties, and moisture, complicating the underlying contact mechanics. Here we explore the initial contact evolution of dry and hydrated fingers to isolate the roles of governing physical factors. Two participants gradually pressed an index finger on a glass surface under three moisture conditions: dry, water-hydrated, and glycerin-hydrated. Gross and real contact area were optically measured over time, revealing that glycerin hydration produced strikingly higher real contact area, while gross contact area was similar for all conditions. To elucidate the causes for this phenomenon, we investigated the combined effects of tissue elasticity, skin-surface friction, and fingerprint ridges on contact area using simulation. Our analyses show the dominant influence of elastic modulus over friction and an unusual contact phenomenon, which we call friction-induced hinging.
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