Press a rigid finger against an uneven object and you may get contact at a small patch. Add a compliant pad and the shape at that contact can change. The useful question is how the altered contact affects the task you want the gripper to perform.
Measure the change you need
Define an object and a repeatable approach. Keep the pad thickness and material in the test record. Compare contact and slip under the same loading procedure. Inspect the pad after the run so damage does not become an unnoticed change in the next trial.
A softer part can introduce motion between the actuator and the object. If you estimate object position from a motor angle, include that deformation in your reasoning. You may need a measurement closer to the contact to understand the grasp.
Keep the maintenance question
Check how you will replace a worn pad. A glued surface can be convenient for a prototype and awkward during repeated tests. Record the fastening method and inspect whether the pad moves relative to the finger.
Describe the conditions in which the compliant part helps, including the objects that still slip. Readers can use that bounded result to choose their next experiment. This sample outlines the comparison and contains no experimental data.
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