Robot Climbs Walls With Static Electricity

This unnamed robot by SRI International has a useful trick—it can climb walls using the principle of electro-adhesion (what we generalized as "static electricity" as kids, when we'd rub balloons on our heads and stick them to walls). But what's most promising is that the robot needs only a "very small amount of power" to stick to surfaces that can be covered in dust and other debris. The link has a video of the robot in action. SPOILER ALERT: robots climbing up drywall is more boring than you'd think. [Popular Mechanics]