告别磁铁和吸盘！中国团队造出生物履带，让机器人真成了水陆两栖壁虎

Core Viewpoint - A new adaptive hybrid track has been developed, enabling robots to seamlessly traverse between water and land, marking a significant advancement in bionic robotics [1]. Group 1: Current Challenges - Existing wall-climbing robots are limited in their capabilities, often excelling in only one environment and struggling to transition between different mediums [4][10]. - Current adhesion mechanisms have various shortcomings: magnetic adhesion is limited to ferromagnetic surfaces [6], negative pressure adhesion requires smooth, sealed surfaces and has high energy consumption [7], dry adhesion performs poorly underwater [8], and octopus suction cups lose effectiveness outside of water [9]. Group 2: Biological Inspiration - The research team drew inspiration from nature, specifically the gecko's foot and the octopus's tentacle, which have mastered the secrets of adhesion across different mediums [11][13]. - The gecko's ability to adhere to smooth surfaces is due to micro-structured hairs that utilize van der Waals forces, while the octopus uses suction cups that create negative pressure [11][13]. Group 3: Key Breakthroughs - The team designed a unique hollow mushroom-shaped adhesive microstructure (HMSAMS) that combines the advantages of both the gecko and octopus, achieving remarkable adhesion in both dry and underwater environments [14][15]. - Experimental data shows that a patch made from this microstructure can achieve a normal adhesion strength of approximately 240 kPa in dry conditions and up to 290 kPa underwater, capable of lifting about 3 kilograms per square centimeter [17]. Group 4: Advanced Design Features - The design includes discrete adhesive patches rather than a continuous layer, mimicking the biological structures of gecko toes and octopus tentacles to enhance stress distribution and peeling resistance [19][21]. - The base of the track features soft columnar structures that allow the robot to adapt to uneven surfaces, enhancing stability and contact adaptability [22]. Group 5: Application Potential - The integrated robot, weighing about 485 grams, can operate effectively on vertical glass walls in dry conditions and move freely on vertical surfaces underwater [23][24]. - It can smoothly transition between water and air, demonstrating potential applications in various scenarios such as all-weather monitoring, covert reconnaissance, hazardous environment operations, and navigating confined spaces [27][30]. Group 6: Future Prospects - This research not only creates a versatile robot capable of operating in diverse environments but also establishes a paradigm for solving complex engineering problems through passive mechanical design inspired by biological systems [31].