Archive for the ‘adhesive’ tag
Nanotube material gets to grips with gecko feet
A team of researchers have developed an improved carbon nanotube-based material that mimics the ability of gecko feet to grip surfaces.
The gecko has microscopic branched elastic hairs in their toes that take advantage of atomic-scale attractive forces to grip surfaces and support surprisingly heavy loads. The carbon-nanotube-based material, described by the research team creates a directionally varied (anisotropic) adhesive force. With a gripping ability nearly three-times the previous record, and ten times better than a real gecko at resisting perpendicular shear forces, the new carbon nanotube array could give artificial gecko feet the ability to tightly grip vertical surfaces while being easily lifted off when desired.
Read more on: adhesive, carbon nanotubes, Design, materialPill bot sticks around for a clearer picture
Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have developed a robotic surgical assistant with tiny adhesive hands, which will allow doctors to see what’s going on in a particular area inside the body of a patient.
Pill bots are not new. For many years doctors have used tiny machines, often attached to a camera, to see what is going on inside a patient, however, it is the adhesive hands which make this product unique.
Read more on: adhesive, Bio Tech, Design, robotic, Robotics