Inspired By Spiderman, This Vacuum Suction Unit Allows You To Climb On Any Surfaces

Two researchers from the Zhejiang University in China have created a device that can let robots and humans to climb the walls like Spiderman.

What the duo did was a vacuum suction unit that can grip even an uneven and rough surface. Before this invention, the suction cup can only stick to unbroken surfaces like slick marble or glass.

According to the researchers, the most challenging part of making this universal vacuum suction unit is leakage, which is caused by an open path between the vacuum zone and the atmosphere, a phenomenon hard to prevent on a rough surface.

The duo applied what they called the ZPD method to deal with normal vacuum leakage. The unit creates a water layer on the vacuum zone’s periphery, which results in a steep pressure gradient generated by inertial force, thus maintaining high pressure at the center of the vacuum zone.

In some experiments, a ZPD suction unit measuring 0.8 kg could generate 245 N of suction force on a rough surface, all while consuming less than 400 W of energy. Without the technology, a normal suction cup requires several kilowatts and the weight may reach dozens of kilograms to generate an equal outcome.

This success makes the ZPD suction unit suitable to be attached to wall-climbing robots and robotic arms.

This invention’s applications are wide, including wall-climbing robots to execute dangerous tasks like rescue missions, construction, and cleaning.

For the pair of researchers, the next step is to find a way to reduce the water consumption so that the robot can operate in a long time with only the amount of water it carries.

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