Spiderman suit nears reality
Updated on 29 August 2007
A "Spiderman suit" that allows the wearer to scale vertical walls just like the comic and movie superhero could one day be a reality - writes PA.
Scientists have worked out how the natural technology used by real spiders could allow a person to crawl up the side of a skyscraper or hang upside down from a roof.
The key is a type of microscopic Velcro that clings to smooth surfaces such as concrete or even glass while being easy to detach.
The key is a type of microscopic Velcro that clings to smooth surfaces such as concrete or even glass while being easy to detach.
Insects, spiders, and gecko lizards all use the same principle to scuttle effortlessly up walls. They have tiny hairs on their feet which set up weak attractions called van der Waals forces between molecules that are very close together.
Italian scientists have calculated how sufficient stickiness could be generated in the same way to support a fully-grown human being's bodyweight.
They believe microscopic hollow structures called carbon nanotubes could theoretically be used to make the idea work.
Professor Nicola Pugno, from the Polytechnic of Turin, who led the research published in the Journal of Physics, said: "There are many interesting applications for our theory, from space exploration and defense, to designing gloves and shoes for window cleaners of big skyscrapers.
"With the idea for the adhesion now in place, there are a number of other mechanics that need addressing before the Spiderman suit can become a reality. Size-effects on the adhesion strength require further research.
"Moreover, man's muscles, for example, are different to those of a gecko. We would suffer great muscle fatigue if we tried to stick to a wall for many hours.
"However now that we are this step closer, it may not be long before we are seeing people climbing up the Empire State Building with nothing but sticky shoes and gloves to support them."
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