Does static friction information predict the onset of sliding for soft material?

Friction behavior between soft and hard materials has long been a question of great interest in the fields of artificial joints, human skin contact, robotic grippers, and others. In this study, we presented a combination of theoretical and experimental analyses to investigate the friction behavior of soft materials. Using some geometric and stick-slip features in the early stage of static friction, the friction property of the interface between a soft material and a hard material is determined. Moreover, the onset of slip, the threshold force at which a friction interface begins to slide, is also predicted by a theoretical model. The predictive ability of this model may provide insights for improving interaction property recognition, as well as for developing fine tactile feedback and dexterous operation of robotic grasping.