Question: What are you going to do with the mechanism?

Diana Samuel answered on 16 Jun 2011:

Good question. Once we’ve determined HOW the frogs are able to stick in different conditions and on different surfaces, the surface pattern of their toe pads will be mimicked. Another university group that we’re working with has the facilities to develop these mimics; basically, we send them the ‘blueprints’ (the pattern that needs to be reproduced, and the dimensions to use), and they create the mimics using a particular polymer. These mimics can be treated in different ways, chemically, to alter their performance. The researchers can then test them using some high-tech equipment to see how their performance compares with the real thing! Once we’ve achieved what we’re looking for, the mimics can be used in both industrial and clinical fields, for a wide range of different applications (from wet-weather car tires to plasters).