Figure 5. Data summary of the bending force per 1 N of insertion force (radial-to-axial force ratio) for various beveled and conical tip types, measured in two phantom materials.

The left figure shows box plots of the first loading cycle in silicone and agar-agar tissue simulants (n = 15 per box). The right figure illustrates how this metric changes with subsequent loading cycles in silicone. During a loading cycle, tip loads were measured at the axial displacements z_ref, z_1N, z_2N, and z_3N, where ref denotes the reference condition and the other subscripts denote the applied axial force, F_a.