OctaGlove brings the underwater gripping power of the octopus to humans
Researchers have developed an octopus-inspired OctaGlove that can securely grip objects under water. Credit: Virginia Tech
Any rescue diver or salvage worker knows it can be tricky to grab hold of slippery objects in a watery environment, particularly if a more delicate touch is required. That's why scientists looked to the octopus for inspiration when they were developing a novel "OctaGlove," a wearable system for gripping underwater objects that mimics the arm of an octopus, according to a recent paper published in the journal Science Advances.
There are several examples in nature of efficient ways to latch onto objects in underwater environments, per the authors. Mussels, for instance, secrete adhesive proteins to attach themselves to wet surfaces, while frogs have uniquely structured toe pads that create capillary and hydrodynamic forces for adhesion. But cephalopods like the octopus have an added advantage: The adhesion supplied by their grippers can be quickly and easily reversed, so the creatures can adapt to changing conditions, attaching to wet and dry surfaces.
When we look at the octopus, the adhesive certainly stands out, quickly activating and releasing adhesion on demand," said co-author Michael Bartlett, a mechanical engineer at Virginia Tech. What is just as interesting, though, is that the octopus controls over 2,000 suckers across eight arms by processing information from diverse chemical and mechanical sensors. The octopus is really bringing together adhesion tunability, sensing, and control to manipulate underwater objects."