Suck it and climb

A stuntman climbed a 20-metre glass wall

Anyone who has watched a gecko walk up a pane of glass cannot fail to be impressed by the little creature's amazing sticky feet. And here is the human equivalent - a suction pad device that allows its wearer to clamber up the side of a building.

The inventor says the "Gekkomat" could prove useful in rescue work

It is the brainchild of Gerald Winkler, from Herzogenaurach, Germany. The inventor plans to sell the system to the emergency services to help with high-rise rescue operations.

Winkler says his "Gekkomat" is an advance on previous suction devices because it will work on any type of surface - even those made from porous materials like plaster and concrete.

The system was put through its paces by a stuntman for the BBC Science programme Tomorrow's World. He managed to walk up a 20-metre (65-foot) glass wall - though nothing like as fast as a gecko, it has to be said.

Each cup could easily hold the weight of one person

At the heart of the system are the suction cups, each of which can hold 250 kilograms (550 lbs). They are driven by compressed air piped from a canister that the climber wears on the back.

There is a line of green and red LEDs (light emitting diodes) on the back of the cups, which tells the "Gekkonaut" when valves have created a strong enough vacuum to safely support another step up the wall.

The Tomorrow's World stuntmen found the system to work very well. The one drawback would seem to be the weight; all the gear adds up to a hefty 30 kilograms (66 lbs).

Tomorrow's World is broadcast on BBC One on Wednesdays at 1930 BST

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