Gecko adhesion

Abstract

The leg attachment pads of several animals are capable of attaching to and detaching from a variety of surfaces and are used for locomotion, even on vertical walls or across the ceiling (Gorb 2001; Bhushan 2007). These include many insects, spiders, and lizards. Biological evolution has led to the optimization of their leg attachment systems. This dynamic attachment ability is referred to as reversible adhesion or smart adhesion (Bhushan et al. 2006). Many insects (e.g., beetles and flies) and spiders have been the subject of investigative interest. However, the attachment pads of geckos have been the most widely studied because they have the highest body mass and exhibit the most versatile and effective adhesive known in nature. Therefore, this chapter will be concerned primarily with gecko adhesion.