期刊名称：Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
印刷版ISSN：0027-8424
电子版ISSN：1091-6490
出版年度：2003
卷号：100
期号：19
页码：10603-10606
DOI：10.1073/pnas.1534701100
语种：English
出版社：The National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
摘要：Animals with widely varying body weight, such as flies, spiders, and geckos, can adhere to and move along vertical walls and even ceilings. This ability is caused by very efficient attachment mechanisms in which patterned surface structures interact with the profile of the substrate. An extensive microscopic study has shown a strong inverse scaling effect in these attachment devices. Whereas {micro}m dimensions of the terminal elements of the setae are sufficient for flies and beetles, geckos must resort to sub-{micro}m devices to ensure adhesion. This general trend is quantitatively explained by applying the principles of contact mechanics, according to which splitting up the contact into finer subcontacts increases adhesion. This principle is widely spread in design of natural adhesive systems and may also be transferred into practical applications.
关键词：walking ; adhesion ; locomotion ; legs ; insects
