May 21 2008Uh-Oh: Robot Can Climb Almost Any Surface

Similar to this climbing robot, but 100% absolutely nothing like it, comes this agile bastard.

The as-yet-unnamed robot uses electro-adhesion to cling to the wall, generating electrostatic charges between the wall substrate and itself to keep from falling. "The principle of operation is similar to electrostatic chucks used to hold silicon wafers, or other specialized grippers for robotic handling of materials," senior researcher Harsha Prahlad explained to PM in an email last week. "The technology uses a very small amount of power ... and shows the ability to repeatedly clamp to wall substrates that are heavily covered in dust or other debris."

This isn't good news folks. If this were a medical prognosis for the future of the human race, we'd be getting toe-tagged. And speaking of toes -- if you strapped a camera to this thing and sent it up the side of my house to the bathroom window you might catch a hot and steamy glimpse of...me doing a crossword puzzle on the can.

Several more pictures of the robot and a video of it climbing a wall in your house, after the jump.

Unmanned Spider-Man? SRI's Wall-Climbing Robot [popularmechanics]

Thanks to Shawn and MoMan, who are both ninjas that can run up walls

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