Patent ID: 8607629

Claim:
A method for assessment of force properties generated by the fiber tip of one or more fibers, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a fiber sample of one or more fibers, the fiber sample having a free portion and an end; (b) suspending the fiber sample over a tactile sensor at least 0.1 mm away in the vertical direction from the tactile sensor; wherein the fiber sample or the tactile sensor is connected to a means for vertically moving either the fiber sample or the tactile sensor toward each other; (c) surrounding the free portion of the fiber sample with a cover which surrounds the free portion over some length of the free portion and stably positioned; wherein the cover guides the direction of the free portion in a more or less vertical orientation through the steps hereof; (d) vertically moving the fiber sample or the tactile sensor such that the end of the fiber sample contacts the tactile sensor; (e) providing the tactile sensor with means for measuring the distribution of force vectors generated by the contact of the end of the fiber sample; and (f) assessing the force properties based on the distribution of force vectors, wherein the fiber sample is a strand of mammalian hair having a weight of from about 0.1 g to about 200 g, and a length of from about 1 cm to about 50 cm.