Tactile texture and friction of soft sponge surfaces

• We evaluated the friction properties of soft sponges with various cell numbers.
• When subjects touched soft sponges, hard-textured sponges were deemed unfavorable.
• This tactile feeling changed with friction coefficients and the temporal profile of friction resistance.

We evaluated the tactile texture and frictional properties of five soft sponges with various cell sizes. The frictional forces were measured by a friction meter containing a contact probe with human-finger-like geometry and mechanical properties. When the subjects touched these sponges with their fingers, hard-textured sponges were deemed unpleasant. This tactile feeling changed with friction factors including friction coefficients, their temporal patterns, as well as mechanical and shape factors. These findings provide useful information on how to control the tactile textures of various sponges.

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