Some amazing new research into geckos done at the University of Calgary could open the door to promising new advances.
U of C researcher Dr. Tony Russell is an expert on geckos, who spent more than four decades studying them.
It’s the gecko’s uncanny ability to ‘stick’ and ‘unstick’’ to surfaces with ease that fascinates researchers like Dr. Russell.
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“People want to adapt this technology,” says Dr. Russell.
The gecko’s secret, is the tiny hair-like bristles under its toes that gives them a dry adhesive quality, similar to scotch tape. The difference is, it leaves no residue and never wears out.
“Understanding how they maneuver and seemingly defy gravity has led to practical applications,” says Dr. Russell. “Various engineering labs are actually building robots,”
There are also medical applications, like closing surgical wounds.
The possibilities even extend to helping astronauts move around in zero gravity.
Dr. Russell’s research also involves the evolution of geckos, and how some species have lost or gained that adhesive quality multiple times over their history.
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