Dr. Jeff Sargent and his team of researchers over at BAE Systems’ Advanced Technology Centre in Bristol have developed a material that closely mimics a gecko’s feet. For those who don’t know, a gecko’s feet are covered in hairs so tiny that they stick with whatever they come in contact with. Not only is the bond strong, it also peels off and reattaches with ease.
“We have demonstrated we can do multiple attachments with this material - you can stick it down once and stick it down again. Having a Spider-Man glove is a long way down the road, but in principle, you might have something like that”, said Dr. Sargent.
But it might still take the researchers many years before they could come out with an actual suit for practical use. According to a spokesperson for the firm, it is expected to take about eight to 20 years.
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