SpiderMan as a Window-Washer

Wall-climbing technique now used for robots could lead to tech that allows soldiers, window washers to scale sheer surfaces, too
By Gregory Mone Posted 05.23.2008 at 9:55 am 1 Comment

Spidey Bot: SRI International

There are a whole range of scenarios, from security- or surveillance-related situations to natural disasters, in which it could be really useful to have a robot that can climb walls. But the idea gets so much traction because it's also just flat-out cool.

We've covered the efforts to design machines that scale vertical surfaces using techniques borrowed from geckos, and another that uses vacuum forces. But this weekend, at a major robotics conference, researchers from SRI International will be discussing a different approach: electro-adhesion.

The SRI robots can clamp on to glass, wood, brick, concrete and more by using electrostatic charges generated by a battery. The materials used are compliant, so their robots can attach to just about any surface - rough and dusty or clean and flat.

In the future, they say the technology could allow humans to climb walls, too, whether they be Special Forces operatives or window cleaners.

Via Robots.net

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sccrtel
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 07/16/08 at 3:37 am

Thats a good idea for several reasons. First of all, you wouldn't need to hire any window cleaners for skyscrapers anymore. Secondly, They could be used as a moving camera, so it could be moved into a position that it would not be seen by the people it is watching. And Third, it could be used in the military as a remote controlled gun that climbs walls.

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