Slashdot Mirror
Gecko-Inspired Dry Adhesive Set For Space
AndreV writes "Biomimetic adhesives aren't new, but a PhD graduate in British Columbia has developed a new method of creating microscopic, mushroom-like plastic structures in order to produce a dry adhesive that mimics the stickiness of gecko feet—and is prepping his glue-free innovation for outer space. A research group at his university, in collaboration with the European Space Agency, is engineering a spider-like, sticky-footed climbing robot destined to explore Mars, and it is also developing reusable attaching systems for astronauts to use where magnetic and suction systems generally fail. In the future, he says, single-use versions could be used in any number of medical applications as well as for replacements for everyday sticky needs, such as Post-It notes and Scotch tape."
If you RTFA you will see that this new adhesive is not based on the nano-scale properties of gecko feet, but is the first space adhesive that doubles as a delightful gecko-flavored paste in emergencies.
Magnetic stickers only work on refrigerators. Since it's colder on the outside of the space station, you can only use them on the inside.
Who would win this election: Andrew Weiner vs Andrew Weiner's weiner.
That's rubbish. Magnetic stickers don't work in space because there is no North or South pole to point to.
"Trolls they were, but filled with the evil will of their master: a fell race..." -- J.R.R. Tolkien on Olog-hai
Well, according to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gecko dust and dirt that could prevent the van der Waals forces that geckos toes use, are removed within a couple steps due to "self-cleaning" properties. If they are able to reproduce the effect properly, the lifespan of the product could be quite significant.
Someone needs to collect all the scientific knowledge expressed in slashdot posts, and write a text book. Why hide this useful archive of scientific truths in obscure blog posts when we can use it to illuminate the minds of the children?
Who would win this election: Andrew Weiner vs Andrew Weiner's weiner.
I'm just practicing for when my daughter gets old enough to start asking "why?" about everything.
I am SO going to screw her up for elementary school science classes.
"Trolls they were, but filled with the evil will of their master: a fell race..." -- J.R.R. Tolkien on Olog-hai
What sort of medical applications make use of post-it notes?
Ones where the surgeon has more than one thing to do to you before stitching you shut?
Rampant carbon sequestration destroyed the Dinosaurs' tropical paradise. I'm here to help repair the damage.
You explained to her she shouldn't do something because a machine can't do it either?
I'd use the good-old-pie-fractions example. Take a pie. Divide it into two parts, explain that's dividing by two.
Cut it again, so it's four parts. Explain you divided it by four.
Cut twice more and ask how many pieces there are (that's how many you divided by).
Now, give her the knife, and ask her to divide it into zero parts. Explain that's why she can't divide by zero... no matter how many times you cut, no matter how you approach it, you cannot end up with zero parts.
Then, eat the pie and play fractions games with each piece.
"Trolls they were, but filled with the evil will of their master: a fell race..." -- J.R.R. Tolkien on Olog-hai
The problem with "zero divided by zero equals zero" is that it is equally true that "zero divided by zero equals twelve". How many zeros does it take to equal zero? Zero, one, two, pi, anything. It's undefined. And here ends my first slashdot post where I am literally arguing over nothing.
A friend of mine studied this stuff for his Ph.D research. It's the molecular-level adhesive force between the Gecko's feet and the surface that allows it to cling. That force is relatively-weak but when multiplied by a few million "pads" on the foot, it's strong enough to let a lizard climb up a wall. Or a robot.
"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." - historian Evelyn Beatrice Hall