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"scientists Defy Gravity w/ 'Spiderman' new Gloves"

Think of the possibilities

Originally posted by some scientist in the CNN article
We have considered producing a large amount of gecko tape, sufficient amounts to enable a student to hang out of the window of a tall building," it said. "However it would cost too much money, and would not benefit us scientifically.
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On the other hand it would be so much fun! I can imagine that such gloves would revolutionize mountain climbing (and rescues). As for the home, we may be able to hang heavy plasma screens on any wall (provided that the wall can handle the weight). I am sure tyre manufactures will also find applications for such material.
 
Originally posted by MrMacman
'Spiderman, Spiderman, Radioactive Spiderman!'
'Spins a web like no one can!'
'Watch out here comes SpiderMan!'
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he he... :D

I think it would be much fun to play around with these, but imagine the potential in a crisis situation? These could be used in emergency situations where someone is trapped up high or hard to reach.
 
You're all forgetting a big part here. Spider Strength! Although this will be a very cool thing to have, most people won't be able to craw up or down a building. You'd have to be in shape, period.

Although it would probably be a great workout, and as some ones who's climbed things his whole life, I'd love to have a pair.

D :D
 
I think I heard something about gecko tape a while back.
Then again, this may be the beginning of a mass-production-capable tape.

Though this works on a totally different principle (and looks so much less cool than a guy crawling on a wall using his fingertips), "gecko" just reminded me of it...
Gekkomat

This actually may be more practical: can you imagine trying to push your body vertically up a wall with your hands and feet flat on the wall (since I think few of us can do chinups hanging from our fingertips)? I'd imagine that'd be painful the first few dozen times.
 
Originally posted by iMook
This actually may be more practical: can you imagine trying to push your body vertically up a wall with your hands and feet flat on the wall (since I think few of us can do chinups hanging from our fingertips)? I'd imagine that'd be painful the first few dozen times.
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Well the thing with climbing is that if you can use your legs and feet, you'll have a much easier time of it. I don't think there are many members in the forum who could do 20 pull ups.

I used to work for a tree company while in college during the summer. I eventually got to the point after a whole summer of working in the trees where I could climb up 1/2" rope 20' with just my hands - no way I could do that now.

Regardless, though, with training you'd be able to do a lot, provided you're not over weight.

I wonder what weight these gloves would hold? And would you be able to carry someone for a rescue say (and that would be one strong guy!)

D
 
If I had some Gecko tape, I would want to buy green gecko tape, and then, I would paint my body green, and then, would run out of the house screaming, "I am gecko tape person... see my gecko tongue, how it licks the air for clues as to the where-abouts of a criminal element for me to thwart.", and then, I would leap onto buildings and perhaps a passing bus while saying "thwart thwart.. I wil be-thwartest thee...", and then, and then, and then...
 
i can do 20 pulls ups...just not in a row! : )

When you rock climb, the key is not to be able to pull your body up with your arms, but rather to balance and support with the arms, and push with the legs. The more advanced climbs require insane finger strength to be able to hold on to tiny holds with just one or two fingers while getting the rest of the body in position (yeah, and those hardcore climbers can do a few two finger pull-ups).

So this gecko tape would be awesome for allowing the both hands to grab anywhere on a wall and then letting the feet do all of the work pushing up.....with a little pratice it would be similar to the energy needed to walk up a steep flight of stairs.
 
Originally posted by Mr. Anderson
Well the thing with climbing is that if you can use your legs and feet, you'll have a much easier time of it. I don't think there are many members in the forum who could do 20 pull ups.

I used to work for a tree company while in college during the summer. I eventually got to the point after a whole summer of working in the trees where I could climb up 1/2" rope 20' with just my hands - no way I could do that now.

Regardless, though, with training you'd be able to do a lot, provided you're not over weight.

I wonder what weight these gloves would hold? And would you be able to carry someone for a rescue say (and that would be one strong guy!)

D
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I'm not overweight, but I couldn't even do one pullup correctly in high school. Never have been the athletic type! :p
 
I just got an idea... make gloves/shoes with gecko tape on both sides (provided you're good enough at climbing not to slip, causing some extreme pull on your firmly adhered finger epithelials. ouch.) Then you can do the mad climber thing.

Now I understand a bit more about how climbers climb. Thank for the heads-up.

But, one more question... how do you detach your gecko taped hands and feet from a rock face? Some special direction you pull in? If so, I imagine that'll pose a problem for some hardcore climbers who have the aforementioned twisted finger positions.



The concept is nice, though. They just need to figure out how to make such a thing mass-producible [edit: spelling] and adapt to different products...
Introducing... the GeckoMuse Shower Radio!!! No adhesives needed! :D

P.S. - I now remember where I saw this before. It was a nanotech article. This was one of the possibilities (they specifically referred to gecko adhesion) that was envisioned for mass-produced nanotechnology (along with the requisite smart dust, intravenous scrubbers, etc.).
 
Crime-fighting the gecko-tape way

Originally posted by Cheese
If I had some Gecko tape, I would want to buy green gecko tape, and then, I would paint my body green, and then, would run out of the house screaming, "I am gecko tape person... see my gecko tongue, how it licks the air for clues as to the where-abouts of a criminal element for me to thwart.", and then, I would leap onto buildings and perhaps a passing bus while saying "thwart thwart.. I wil be-thwartest thee...", and then, and then, and then...
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That would be possible if you developed the tape yourself and kept it a secret but since it will be mass-produced there may be other Gecko Tape Persons out there with you. Some of these will undoubtedly use their new powers for evil deeds in which case it may become necessary to ban the gecko tape.

It may also be handy to invent gecko-tape-proof wall-paper.
 
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