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Artificial Gecko Adhesive, Now In Experimental Glue

Posted by timothy on from the will-arrive-one-day-before-singularity dept.

thefickler writes "Scientists at the University of Dayton have created a peel-on, peel-off glue which mimics the wall-climbing abilities of Spiderman. The substance, based on the feet of the Gecko lizard, is three times stickier than existing adhesives. The material is so strong that a 4×4mm pad would be enough to hold a 1.5kg object such as a hardcover book. However, it's likely too expensive for consumer use: one British scientist calculates that a single Post-it note using the glue would cost around a thousand dollars." We've mentioned the possibilities of synthetic gecko technology several times before, including as applied in this wall-climbing robot; commercial applications have seemed just around the corner for a while now.

8 of 102 comments (clear)

  1. Cost of new technology by penguin_dance · · Score: 4, Insightful

    They mention the cost, but surely that will come down. Anything breakthrough like that is going to be expensive to create until the figure out a way to mass produce it.

    I wonder, however, the type of strength you'd have to have to actually "do a Spiderman" up the building. Yes it will hold you to the building, but you'll still have to have the upper body strength to advance your way up without handholds to help if it's a flat surface.

    Sci-Fi fun aside, there will no doubt be a lot of uses for this product. And a few years down the road we will have infomercial guru, Billy Mays shouting at us to try new and improved "Gecko Glue" to hang pictures and fix broken mugs. :)

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    1. Re:Cost of new technology by VValdo · · Score: 4, Funny

      You wouldn't need to rely on upper body strength alone if you also have the stuff on your feet. That lets you use your leg muscles as well.

      My question-- do the outer layers of skin on my fingers/toes have the adhesive properties to the inner-layers of skin or will I fall 30 stories leaving finger-skin behind? Also, how much building-dust and pollution accumulates to the adhesive, and how quickly?

      I really need to know this before I try.

      W

      PS- are web shooters included?

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    2. Re:Cost of new technology by Alain+Williams · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I wonder, however, the type of strength you'd have to have to actually "do a Spiderman" up the building. Yes it will hold you to the building, but you'll still have to have the upper body strength to advance your way up without handholds to help if it's a flat surface.

      The other big thing to think about is what are you adhering to ? This might work if you were climbing up something like clean metal or marble, but most will be much lower quality. Many surfaces if you pull too hard on them will disintegrate and the top layer will detach, so you will just end up falling off the sky scraper with a thin layer of brick or paint on your hands.

  2. Re:Article is Annoying as Hell by PitaBred · · Score: 3, Insightful

    So wear gloves and shoes that are tightly attached. You can hold yourself up normally by your fingers and toes, right? Problem solved.

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  3. Didn't read summary but.. by philspear · · Score: 5, Funny

    I am so glad they came up with a new gecko adhesive. I haven't had good results nailing my geckos down, they eat the tape, and the natural gecko adhesive just doesn't cut it.

  4. Re:Not to be a pedant, but... by bennomatic · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Actually, you are being a pedant. You're right, but, y'know, I'm sure you did know what the OP meant.

    I don't mean this as an insult; it's just that your post made me grin. Kind of like when someone underscores what they are expressing metaphorically by saying, "literally." Like: "I was so hungry I literally could have eaten a horse." I've actually taken to saying, myself, "[blah blah], literally! By which I mean figuratively."

    And when anyone questions my most outlandish statements, I tell them, straight faced, "I always speak in hyperbole. Always. ALLLWAYS."

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  5. Re:Hmmm... by Microlith · · Score: 3, Funny

    they come back off the wall no problem

    Last time I pulled one of those off the wall it came off no problem. Along with the paint and wallboard behind it!

  6. Post is annoying as hell by philspear · · Score: 4, Funny

    There are probably a few more uses for it than using a small pad to blue a book to a wall and to be spiderman. Don't be so obtuse.