Three emulative devices buyers can immediately understand
These are the flagship custom instrument families behind the broader device gallery below.
Spreading tribometer
Replicates the physical act of spreading a paste or emulsion, measuring friction and lubrication under conditions that closely mirror finger or applicator contact.
View spec frameworkStringiness meter
Emulates the pull-away motion when a product is stretched or separated -- quantifying stringiness and cohesive stretch in sauces, cheeses, gels, and adhesives.
Shape retention meter
Measures the structural integrity of extruded or deposited products as consumers see them -- toothpaste on a brush, cream from a tube, gel from a nozzle.
Custom-Made Instruments
Designed and built for specific emulative testing needs. Each device replicates a human action and measures properties that commercial instruments cannot.
Shape Retention & Stringiness
High-speed cameras capture fluid thread geometry during separation, characterizing how products hold shape on a brush or stretch when pulled.
Gloppiness
Measures the visual and mechanical properties of product discharge from pump bottles and squeezable containers. Captures the behavior consumers notice on first use.
Foam & Mousse Dispensing
For foamy or mousse products: characterizes the shape and size of extracted material using specialized dispensing fixtures.
Brush Shape Retention
Measures how product holds its shape after being dispensed onto a brush -- a key visual attribute in toothpaste and cosmetics.
Dispensing Characterization
Quantifies discharge behavior from various container types. Measures flow properties that determine whether a product feels premium or frustrating.
Stringiness (Thread Stretch)
Measures fluid thread length and break point during separation. Quantifies the "stringy" behavior of gels, pastes, and viscous liquids.
Squeeze Shape Retention
Tracks product shape immediately after squeezing from a tube. Characterizes whether dispensed material holds form or slumps.
TP Tester V2
Multi-purpose testing platform for shape retention, stringiness, and dispensability measurements in a single integrated enclosure.
Foam Extractor
Specialized fixture for controlled foam and mousse extraction. Measures dispensed volume and structure under repeatable conditions.
Shape retention measurement methodology
Image analysis algorithms measure dispensed product geometry over time. Height, width, aspect ratio, and slump rate are tracked frame-by-frame to produce quantitative shape retention scores.
These measurements replace subjective "stand-up" evaluations with precise, time-resolved data.
We work with data from instruments you already have
Perceptometry Lab can begin with existing lab measurements, interpret them against sensory attributes, and only recommend custom instrumentation when the standard tool cannot capture the human action.
Viscometer
Flow resistance and apparent viscosity at defined shear rates.
Brookfield DV seriesRheometer
Full flow curve -- viscosity, viscoelasticity, yield stress, thixotropy.
TA Instruments DHR, Anton Paar MCRTribometer
Friction and lubrication -- closely linked to mouthfeel and skinfeel.
Mini-Traction MachineTexture analyzer
Force-displacement of solids and semi-solids. The closest standard emulative tool.
Stable Micro Systems TA.XTConventional Methods
Standard and modified commercial instruments that form the foundation of emulative testing. We also work with these tools to provide comprehensive sensory analysis.
Tribometer / Rheometer
Modified rheometer with dual-ball geometry for measuring coefficient of friction (COF) -- the foundation of "skin feel" prediction for lotions, creams, and sunscreens.
Texture Analyzer
Measures compression force to determine dispensability -- how easily product flows from tubes and bottles. Directly correlates with consumer perception of "squeezability."
Dispensability Testing
Controlled extrusion tests measuring the force required to dispense product at a given rate, producing data on ease-of-use and package design.
Stickiness Measurement
Probe adhesion testing that quantifies the "sticky" or "tacky" attributes that sensory panels struggle to describe consistently.
Tactile Glove
Sensor-equipped glove that measures grip force during product interaction. A commercially available tool that captures the mechanical signature of human touch.
GelSight: Microscopy by Touch
Tactile microscope that visualizes surface roughness -- allows direct measurement of particles felt by hand or tongue. Available as microscope-mounted or hand-held versions.
COF Measurement
Coefficient of friction testing using standardized probe geometries. Spreadability and "skin feel" prediction for topical product formulations.
GelSight (Microscope)
Installed on a standard microscope for precision surface analysis. Maps microscale roughness that determines tactile perception of product smoothness.
Stickiness (Probe Detail)
Close-up of the adhesion probe during a pull-off test. Force curves capture the exact moment of separation -- correlating with perceived tackiness.
Compression Testing
Texture analyzer in compression mode measuring hardness and deformability. Used for semi-solid products like bar soap and solid sticks.
Tactile Glove (Detail)
Close-up of the sensor array on the tactile glove. Pressure-sensitive pads map the force distribution pattern during product application.
GelSight (Microscope-Mounted)
GelSight sensor mounted on a standard microscope body for high-resolution tactile imaging of surface textures and particle distributions.
GelSight Sensor
The elastomeric sensing element that deforms on contact -- its surface displacement is captured by embedded cameras to reconstruct 3D surface geometry.
Particle Visualization
GelSight output showing individual particles in a formulation. Enables objective measurement of what consumers describe as "grainy" or "smooth."
Spreader Enclosure
The custom spreader/tribometer in its production enclosure -- ready for R&D lab deployment.
Microscopy by touch
GelSight uses an elastomeric sensor that deforms on contact with a surface. Embedded cameras and lighting reconstruct 3D geometry at micron-scale resolution.
For consumer products, this means objective measurement of surface roughness, particle distribution, and micro-texture -- the properties that determine whether a product "feels smooth" or "feels grainy."
Available in microscope-mounted and handheld configurations for both laboratory and field use.
Integrated measurement stations
Complete dispensing and characterization setups combining cameras, sensors, and custom fixtures for comprehensive product analysis.
Each station is configured for specific product categories -- oral care, skin care, hair care -- with fixtures that emulate real-world use conditions.
Spreader / Tribometer evaluation sheet
Compare this against a rheometer accessory, a Weneos-style catalog spreader, or a trained panel. Each instrument is configured to your application -- final specifications are defined during the discovery engagement.
Normal-force control for finger-like probe contact and repeatable substrate loading.
Programmable stroke speed for slow rub-in, spreading, and high-shear application profiles.
Coefficient-of-friction output for baseline, variant, and panel-correlation workflows.
Finger-like probes, dual-ball geometry, flat pads, custom elastomers, and application-specific fixtures.
Topicals on PMMA/artificial skin, films, gels, pastes, and other prepared substrates.
Raw force, displacement, friction, time-series traces, test metadata, and export formats for LIMS or internal analysis.
Compact benchtop enclosure designed for standard R&D lab environments.
Calibration, service, training, and traceability plan defined with the final instrument configuration.
Custom instruments typically range from five-figure to low six-figure depending on configuration. Start with a discovery engagement to define your requirements.
Ready to measure what matters?
Whether you need a custom device for your R&D lab or want to learn how emulative testing can improve your product development pipeline -- let's talk.
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