The stimulus location and static compression affect the biodynamic interaction between the fi fingertip ngertip and probe in the vibrotactile test test: 3D finite element simulations

摘要

Vibrotactile thresholds at the fingertips are a aff ffected by a number of individual, ected environmental and testing factors. In the current study, we theoretically analyzed the effects of the contact location of the probe on the fingertip and the static pre pre-indentation on the dynamic deformation of the soft tissues of the fingertip in the vibrotactile tests using a nonlinear finite element model. The fingertip considered in the 3D finite element model is the distal phalanx, the portion from the finger distal to the distal interphalangeal (DIP) joint articulation. The fingertip is contact contacted by ed the probe at four diff different contact angles (150,300, 450, and 600) and three different pre-indentations (0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 mm). Our analysis indicated that the fingertip/probe contact location may a ect the vibrotactile threshold. The model predictions indicated that the location location-dependence of the vibration exposur exposure factors at the fingertip increase with increasing static pre pre-indentation.