Cohesion-decohesion asymmetry in geckos

TL;DR

This paper presents a mechanical model explaining how geckos and similar animals actively control their adhesion by modulating elastic interactions among adhesive units, enabling switching between different detachment modes.

Contribution

It introduces a novel mechanical model linking elastic interactions to active control of adhesion modes in geckos.

Findings

Detachment force depends on elastic interactions among adhesive units.

Animals can switch between delocalized and localized adhesion modes.

Active regulation of interaction scale enables controlled detachment.

Abstract

Lizards and insects can strongly attach to walls and then detach applying negligible additional forces. We propose a simple mechanical model of this phenomenon which implies active muscle control. We show that the detachment force may depend not only on the properties of the adhesive units, but also on the elastic interaction among these units. By regulating the scale of such cooperative interaction, the organism can actively switch between two modes of adhesion: delocalized (pull off) and localized (peeling).