Jellyfish could come in handy at crime scenes.
Another marine creature has inspired a British research team currently developing a gripper for objects with dry, complex surfaces.
The secret to an octopus’s tight grip is that it fills the tiny gaps between its suction cups and an uneven surface with mucus.
Information the team used to build a pneumatically-driven variant. It comprises an attachable lid and two layers based on the octopus’s musculature and soft, flexible suction port.
In the middle of everything is a tube, through which water is pumped. It flows to the outer edges of the lower layer when the gripper targets a new object.
Also inspiring: artificial intelligence combined with 3D-printing or elephant tusks.
