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Super Glue was created to close surgical wounds. Gatorade was created for University of Florida football players. The feet of a gecko were created to climb sheer surfaces. All of these things were later used for something beyond the original intentions. The first two you know already, but the third may very well be in your local hospital.
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Gecko’s feet are patterned with small hills and valleys. These hills and valleys increase the surface area of the feet, giving the gecko the ability to climb walls and trees that would seem impossible to other creatures. Geckos have long been a source of inspiration, and gecko adhesives have been in use since 2001. These early designs though were difficult and impractical to use in the operating room because they could lacked an adhesive that worked in wet environments. Also, these adhesives did not fit the bill for operating rooms looking for biocompatible, biodegradable, and elastic adhesives.
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These first generation gecko adhesives have since been revitalized. A partnership between MIT, Harvard, the University of Basel (Switzerland), Draper Labs, and Massachusetts General Hospital lead to this new gecko bandage. This new bandage uses a material called “biorubber” that is then imprinted with the small hills and valleys that were inspired by the gecko. The researches then coated the biorubber with a thin layer of sugar-based glue. This bandage can then be wrapped around open wounds, both inside and out, and it will slowly degrade as the wound heals. The bandage has been tested on pig intestines and lab mice, and if it lives up to expectations, it should be in hospitals soon.
For more information, please reference the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
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