Claws and Spines

I am currently working on a few ideas for claws that will allow a climbing robot to adhere to a rough surface. For an autonomous platform, it would be ideal if these mechanisms were passive or simply-actuated active devices.

Wet Adhesion

I am also thinking about some ideas for sticking to surfaces via either fast-acting releasable adhesives (not reusing the same adhesive pad, but reapplying the adhesive at every step) (superglue melting; insta-gel) or using a light oil film and wicking ideas from the palmetto beetle (capillary action, much like a fountain pen).