Gecko tape

A new anti-sliding adhesive developed by engineers at the University of California, Berkeley, may be the closest man-made material yet to mimic the toe hairs of the gecko which allow it to move along vertical surfaces and ceilings.

Taking a cue from the millions of hairs covering a gecko's toes, researchers squeezed 42 million hard plastic microfibres onto each square centimetre of a plastic backing material and then loaded it with various weights to test its properties.

They found that on a smooth, clean, vertical surface, two square centimetres of the synthetic adhesive could hold 400 grams (0.88 pounds). At the same time, the adhesive easily lifted off with minimal force and no residue.

A number of research teams across the world are working on mimicking the adhesive properies of the gecko's toes. But Ron Fearing, UC Berkeley Prof of electrical engineering and computer sciences and head of the research team developing the new material, noted that previous research on gecko-like adhesives has only focused on the strength of the adhesion.