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.
Measures: thread geometry, shape hold, break dynamics.
Gloppiness
Measures the visual and mechanical properties of product discharge from pump bottles and squeezable containers. Captures the behavior consumers notice on first use.
Measures: discharge shape, flow, first-use behavior.
Foam & Mousse Dispensing
For foamy or mousse products: characterizes the shape and size of extracted material using specialized dispensing fixtures.
Measures: extracted volume, structure, shape.
Brush Shape Retention
Measures how product holds its shape after being dispensed onto a brush -- a key visual attribute in toothpaste and cosmetics.
Measures: stand-up height, slump rate, aspect ratio.
Dispensing Characterization
Quantifies discharge behavior from various container types. Measures flow properties that determine whether a product feels premium or frustrating.
Measures: flow rate, discharge force, drip behavior.
Stringiness (Thread Stretch)
Measures fluid thread length and break point during separation. Quantifies the "stringy" behavior of gels, pastes, and viscous liquids.
Measures: thread length, break point, cohesion.
Squeeze Shape Retention
Tracks product shape immediately after squeezing from a tube. Characterizes whether dispensed material holds form or slumps.
Measures: post-squeeze form, slump, edge definition.
TP Tester V2
Multi-purpose testing platform for shape retention, stringiness, and dispensability measurements in a single integrated enclosure.
Measures: shape retention, stringiness, dispensability.
Foam Extractor
Specialized fixture for controlled foam and mousse extraction. Measures dispensed volume and structure under repeatable conditions.
Measures: dispensed volume, foam structure.
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.
Every instrument, at a glance
Custom platforms and conventional instruments we deploy, configure, and interpret -- each matched to a product category and the sensory attribute it measures.
| No. | Instrument | Measures | Principle | Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Spreading tribometer | Glide, cushion, and absorption -- the friction of spreading a cream or paste | Skin-contact tribology | Custom |
| 02 | Tribometer / Rheometer | Coefficient of friction (μ) for skin-feel of lotions, creams, and sunscreens | Dual-ball tribology | Conventional |
| 03 | Texture analyzer | Firmness, dispensability, and squeezability of tubes and semi-solids | Compression / extension | Conventional |
| 04 | Stringiness meter | Thread length and break point -- stringiness of gels, pastes, and liquids | Pull-away separation | Custom |
| 05 | Shape retention meter | Stand-up, slump, and aspect ratio of extruded and deposited product | Time-resolved imaging | Custom |
| 06 | GelSight sensor | Micro-surface roughness and the particles felt as grittiness | Elastomeric photometry | Touch |
| 07 | Tactile glove | Grip force distribution during real product interaction | Sensor array | Touch |
Each instrument is engineered to the product category and the specific sensory attributes it measures. Final specifications are confirmed on delivery and validated against trained descriptive panels.
Conventional 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.
Compression Testing
Texture analyzer in compression mode measuring hardness and deformability. Used for semi-solid products like bar soap and solid sticks.
Particle Visualization
GelSight output showing individual particles in a formulation. Enables objective measurement of what consumers describe as "grainy" or "smooth."
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 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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