San Francisco: Stanford University students have created paddles that help humans scale glass walls like a gecko.
The "gecko gloves" use the same scientific principles employed by the sticky feet of nature's most impressive climber, the San Jose Mercury News reported on Monday.
"One of the most important attributes of their adhesive is that it's controllable, like tape that you can turn on when you want it to stick, and turn off when you don't," said Elliot Hawkes, a member of the research team.
The Stanford students have patents pending and have already begun negotiations with toy companies.
A Swiss entrepreneur has scheduled a meeting with the team in January to discuss possible rock-climbing applications. There is also a project in the works with NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena to use a version of the gloves to grab things in space.
"It turns out that gecko-inspired adhesives are one of the very few technologies that will work in space, where you've got a vacuum and very low temperatures," said Mark Cutkowsky, a member of the mechanical engineering faculty who was part of the four-man team.
The "gecko gloves" use the same scientific principles employed by the sticky feet of nature's most impressive climber, the San Jose Mercury News reported on Monday.
"One of the most important attributes of their adhesive is that it's controllable, like tape that you can turn on when you want it to stick, and turn off when you don't," said Elliot Hawkes, a member of the research team.
A Swiss entrepreneur has scheduled a meeting with the team in January to discuss possible rock-climbing applications. There is also a project in the works with NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena to use a version of the gloves to grab things in space.
Advertisement
COMMENTS
Advertisement
Apple Smart Glasses, Cheaper Vision Pro Reportedly in Apple’s Roadmap Wearables Market in India Sees Decline in Q2 2024, Shipments Fall 10 Percent YoY: IDC Attorney Sues San Francisco City After Losing Job Due to Accidental Racy 'Reply-All' Email Mamata Banerjee's Sunday Ultimatum To CBI For Death Penalty In Rape-Murder How Extreme Weather Is Leading To Rise In Child Marriages In Pakistan "Prove With Pics Crime Scene Intact": Court To Bengal Over Hospital Vandalism Eva's Hot Take On A Little Black Dress Was Served In A Rosette Number JD Vance's Bestselling Tale From Rags To Riches Can Be His Political Tool Trump Made Rs 2 Crore From Bible Sales, Holds Rs 8 Crore In Crypto: Report Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.