A Human Fingertip Finite Element Model for Simulation ofHaptic Interactions

The human ability to assess the properties of objects and surfaces via touch is mediated by the complex mechanical behavior of the hand soft tissues at contact. Touch-sensitive neurons placed in the human skin activate in response to local deformation of the skin itself, resulting in what we understand as tactile perception. We set out to develop a new Finite Element model of the human hand, specifically designed to simulate its biomechanics in the context of haptic contact, to investigate its underexplored aspects, which can open to an informed design of robotic tactile sensors and human-machine interfaces. In this work, we present the design of a Finite Element model of the human fingertip, the validation of its mechanical behaviour with respect to available biomechanical data, and its use in the simulation of a softness discrimination task. We investigated the response of the fingertip to contact with objects of different compliance, to retrieve insights on how humans are able to perceive softness.