[czr]

actual paper https://aip.scitation.org/doi/10.1063/1.5129958

video 1 (response measurement): https://aip.scitation.org/doi/suppl/10.1063/1.5129958/suppl_...

video 2 (picking up block): https://aip.scitation.org/doi/suppl/10.1063/1.5129958/suppl_...

video 3 (hexapod): https://aip.scitation.org/doi/suppl/10.1063/1.5129958/suppl_...

video 4 (human climbing tiled wall): https://aip.scitation.org/doi/suppl/10.1063/1.5129958/suppl_...

video 5 (human climbing concrete wall): https://aip.scitation.org/doi/suppl/10.1063/1.5129958/suppl_...

[keanzu]

The videos are great, consumes a lot less water than I imagined. Seems like most of the water is lost during the de-suction process, if they can scavenge that it could really cut the water consumption down nearly to zero.

[Tepix]

Speed is also an issue, the video is speed up 2x and the progress is still quite slow.

[samstave]

If they have an additional ring around the outside of each cup, could they not suction the water back into the system?

Also, wouldnt this be easily defeatable with small dowel protruding "thorns" - or dimples, as on a golf ball - maybe alternating convex/concave dimple patterns? or other ridges?

[logicallee]

This is very interesting. I wonder how the power use compares with achieving a similar effect using a vacuum pump.

[logicallee]

Edit: I got downvoted. Is a powered vacuum pump not possible in this application? (Like putting a vacuum cleaner nozzle against the wall, possibly using a more powerful motor than usual, for more suction.) I think it's a fair question but maybe I'm way off base here.