SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CHARACTERIZING A TEXTURED SURFACE

A textured surface characterization system (100) includes a characterization apparatus (110) that contacts a textured surface (104) of an item (108) in order to characterize that surface. The characterization system includes a fluid delivery system (204) for flowing a fluid (128) across the textured surface when the textured surface is in contact with the characterization apparatus. Pressure measurement structures (144, 160) on the characterization apparatus provide pressure data for the fluid as it flows across the textured surface. This pressure data is used to characterize the textured surface.