Geckos have special toes with adaptations that allow them to adhere to most surfaces without the use of liquids or surface tension. Now, University of Massachusetts at Amherst scientists have developed Geckskin, which uses soft elastomers combined with ultra-stiff fabrics (glass fiber, carbon fiber, etc.) to mimic the gecko’s draping adhesion capabilities. Continue reading for a video and more information.
According to Dvice, “The lizard uses a combination of tendon, skin, and bone to create a soft surface layer that also has high underlying stiffness, to make a strong adhesive connection without requiring wetness or sticky residue, thanks to van der Waals’ forces that attract molecules to each other. Professor Al Crosby and his team say that Geckskin achieves the same strength found in nature, but it can be scaled up to hold far more weight per square inch.”
