The stick-slip phenomenon occurring between human skin and other surfaces

Abstract

This paper analyses the stick-slip phenomenon in tribosystems that include human skin and biocompatible polyethylene UHMWPE. The study focuses on the theoretical stability conditions of the movement of the UHMWPE polyethylene specimen in contact with human skin, considering the rheological and tribological properties of human skin, the rigidity of the system, and the speed of training. The proposed dynamic model involves the equation of relative motion of the UHMWPE polyethylene specimen relative to the finger, considering the force of friction, axial stiffness, hysteresis damping, and frequency of oscillation. The results can be useful for choosing materials for lower and upper human endoprosthesis and designing robot gripping systems. The paper presents experimental and analytical models and explores the effects of contact pressure, real contact area, and kinetic friction coefficient on the phenomenon. The study aims to improve the understanding of the stick-slip phenomenon and contribute to the development of more reliable tribological systems.

Keywords

• stick-slip
• biotribology
• rheological model of human skin
• uhmwpe.