Study, design, development and construction of a linear tribometer for testing human skin

Abstract

The study of the tribological properties of the skin is a very important research field for medical investigation, development of dermatological products and the analysis of the interactions between textile products and the skin. To obtain these properties it is necessary to perform tests using tribological equipments which can simulate the conditions to obtain reliable values that will allow the measurement of skin wrinkling. The skin aggressions are usually analyzed using special equipments, known as tribometers, that enable the performance of the tribological characterization of a pair of materials, in order to obtain parameters such as friction coefficient and wear; for this purpose, the control of test variables, such as normal applied load, displacement speed, environmental conditions and other relevant circumstances which influence the interaction of surfaces in contact is required. The most important objective is the evaluation of a concept commonly known as touch, difficult to define and measure (which is related to the quantification of the level of comfort provided by the contact with the skin), with the requirement of studying soft materials, namely the skin. For that purpose it became necessary to design and manufacture a tribological equipment capable of responding to the demands of the required tests.