The human finger is crucial for tactile perception, yet the biophysical properties—such as mechanical characteristics, contact properties, and surface texture—that contribute to this sensory process are not fully understood.
This study explores how age, gender, and different touch gestures impact tactile perception by analyzing finger vibrations. Using an innovative algorithm (Mel-frequency cepstral coefficients, MFCCs), researchers found that key factors in tactile perception are the Young’s modulus and surface topography.
Findings also showed that women have a heightened tactile perception, especially with left-to-right touch gestures, revealing a valuable insight into how biophysical properties correlate with sensory feedback.