Meeting Abstract
Fingerprints have long been thought to increase friction. In this study, we show that a fingertip’s grip is augmented by the hundreds of sweat glands that appear between the grooves of the finger print. As we grip objects, sweat is excreted forming small puddles, whose surface tension forces increase grip. We measure the force and size of the sweat puddles and provide an analytical model predicting the time course of adhesion forces. Understanding how sweat interacts with surfaces may be beneficial to design of prosthetics and interactive electronics such as smartphones.
