Gecko Inspired Robot Climbs Walls at Stanford 56
telomerewhythere writes "Stanford mechanical engineer Mark Cutkosky is using the biology of a gecko's sticky foot to create a robot that climbs. In the same way the small reptile can scale a wall of slick glass, the Stickybot can climb smooth surfaces with feet modeled on the intricate design of gecko toes. The team's new project involves scaling up the material for humans. A technology called Z-Man, which would allow humans to climb with gecko adhesive, is in the works."
Gecko-Man, Gecko-Man, does whatever a gecko can... (Score:5, Insightful)
Just keep in mind that – thanks to the cube/square law and other physical principles – not all biological feats can be scaled up or down.
Bored by science imitates nature (Score:2, Insightful)
I'm getting bored to tears by all these "science imitates nature" articles. Since childhood I must have read about the velcro background a hundred times. Will I have to put up with yet another dozen gecko geek articles over the next few years?
Re:Not the first effort (Score:5, Insightful)
You are hereby banned from using acronyms until further notice.
Designs (Score:2, Insightful)
"feet modeled on the intricate design of gecko toes"
Interesting. I thought they evolved. ;-)