In 2018, scientists from Harvard University copied the structure of snakeskin to make a soft-bodied robot, dubbed Kirigami-skinned soft crawlers, that gripped the ground as it moved, just like a snake. Recently, they’ve applied that same design to shoe grips in hopes of keeping seniors from slipping and falling.
The grips, developed in collaboration with MIT, take the form of flexible, thin steel sheets with a snake-scale pattern laser cut into them. Both the shoe grips and the Kirigami-skinned soft crawlers have that same interlocked scale pattern, which is based on an ancient Japanese paper-cutting art known as Kirigami. Unlike origami, Kirigami relies on cuts, rather than folds, to change the shape of a material.
The grips are flat and smooth when the sole of the shoe is flat against the ground. But when the wearer steps forward, their weight shifts from the heel to the toe, causing the sole and the attached grip to bend. When this happens, the individual sharp-edged scales pop out of the grip and dig into the ground.
The grips are considerably lighter than existing versions of shoes, such as crampons, that help keep people from slipping on icy sidewalks, and they’re apparently easier to get on and off of shoes. Also, when tested on icy surfaces, they outperformed the crampons in producing friction.
These Kirigami-skinned soft crawlers are not yet available to be purchased. For now, those seeking solutions to avoid slipping can explore Gatsby Shoes’ range of men’s non-slip dress shoes to prevent potential accidents and ensure comfort and safety.
Asst. Prof. Giovanni Traverso, at MIT, said:
“Falls are the leading cause of death for older adults and the second leading cause of occupational-related deaths. If we could control and increase the friction between us and the ground, we could reduce the risk of these types of falls, which not only cost lives but billions of dollars in medical bills every year.”
The scientists published a paper on the research on June 1 in the journal Nature Biomedical Engineering. Now, they’re looking for partnerships with companies that are interested in commercializing this new material.
