Spider-Man becomes a reality: The US military has developed palm pads that allow humans to climb vertical walls just like geckos and chameleons, reports Sky News.
The pads were developed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and were inspired by the common gecko. The project was called Z-Man.
In the first experiment conducted, a soldier managed to climb a vertical glass wall rising to a height of 7.5 meters. The soldier weighed 99 kg, and he used only his padded palms. In the second phase, the soldier climbed again, this time carrying a weight of 22 kg on his back.
The US military believes that the new invention could help combat forces reach places that were previously inaccessible. A DARPA project spokesman said: "Historically, height differences and climbing to high places have always been an obstacle during combat. Ropes and ladders and climbing equipment have been invented, but if we look at the last thousand years, we haven't made much progress in this field.".
Dr. Matt Goodman, director of the hand pads project, said about the nature of the development: "The gecko is one of the best climbers in the animal world, so it was only natural to try and imitate its way of working to help fighters cope in an urban environment.".
The gecko can climb smooth surfaces to great heights thanks to the adhesive pads covering its fingers, which can reach up to 14 cm in length, and it can detach its tail without any harm. According to DARPA, elements of the palm pad technique were taken from the gecko's activity pattern.
Gecko on a vertical tree. Photo: Sky News website
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