Comments on: Gecko-inspired glue

By: Brad S.

Brad S. — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

That is definitely the coolest thing I’ve read about all day. Thanks, David!

By: Brainspore

Brainspore — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I get my spider-man gloves when now?

By: Aneurysm

Aneurysm — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Yay, for biomimicry and 2 billion years worth of design solutions!

However, I’m still wary of the potential toxicity of carbon nanotubes…

By: Normandy

Normandy — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I heard of this first in this TED talk by Robert Full. The talk is about animal movement and designing a foot. It is apparent that gecko movement is clearly superior to the human anatomy. True, it might be dangerous but same goes for nuclear power plants. Do we stop advancing because it gets too dangerous?

By: AirPillo

AirPillo — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Replace solder?

I know carbon can be conductive (graphite electrodes are tons of fun to play with) but isn’t a maze of microscopic carbon tubes bound to have a hell of a lot more resistance than a glob of conductive metal?

By: Hagrid

Hagrid — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Ummmm… I hate to throw cold water on a cool idea, but what of the possibility that broken carbon nanotubes are as dangerous to our lungs as asbestos?

Do we need more research here?

Just being cautious.

By: Gail Carriger

Gail Carriger — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

There’s a great podcast from NPR on a similar subject: Gecko Toes Inspire Design of New Medical Bandage, for anyone who is interested.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=19279821

By: Brainspore

Brainspore — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Ummmm… I hate to throw cold water on a cool idea, but what of the possibility that broken carbon nanotubes are as dangerous to our lungs as asbestos?

Do we need more research here?

More research never hurts, but if it were really deadly I imagine we’d see all kinds of respiratory ailments among herpetologists.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

So….

Nano-tech velcro?

Also, given that most glue is designed to also withstand the perpendicular force, I don’t see Krazy Glue going out of business over this. Of course, those Command strips that hold pictures on your wall might…

By: Thinkerer

Thinkerer — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

There have been a number of interesting variations on this, some more successful than others. What the geckos still have on humans is keeping those pads clean as they go — none of the biomimetic surfaces tolerate contamination and don’t self-clean under use as the originals do. A decade or so of hard work and good science not up to eons of evolution quite yet.

By: David Pescovitz

David Pescovitz — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

GAIL @5, Thank you for that link! Very interesting.