It’s a sticky subject, but this gecko may play a surprising part in #Ford’s future. https://t.co/iPM13bamck pic.twitter.com/r6pPli9BNh
— Ford Drive Green (@FordDriveGreen) November 16, 2015
The humble gecko: docile pet, devourer of crickets, insurance mascot. If you've ever kept one of these little reptiles, you'll remember how easily they can scale the glass wall of a terrarium.
That Spiderman-like quality is exactly what Ford hopes to benefit from.
Biomimicry has already been used successfully by industries around the world to improve products. The Japanese Bullet Train's streamlined design is based on the beak of a Kingfisher. Velcro was inspired by burrs.
In fact, this isn't the first time someone has taken aim at gecko feet-- NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory is already working on a robot with its own clinging feet.
Ford is hoping the gecko's amazing toe pads may solve a serious recycling issue. To recycle a material, it must be separated out. The glue Ford currently uses to adhere foam to plastic and metal in its new vehicles is so strong, separation, and thus recycling, is impossible.
The gecko can hold an enormous amount of weight, but can also separate from a surface it is clinging to easily, and without leaving residue.
At Ed Corley Ford Sales Inc., we hope to soon see designs by nature that help build a more sustainable future. Come take a test drive today.