"Stickybot" - The Wall Climbing Robot

Mark Cutkosky and a team at Stanford University have developed Stickybot, the latest in what seems to be a trend towards wall-climbing robot.

Stickybot is inspired by the gecko. The gecko can climb walls - and even across ceilings - due to the tiny hairs (setae) on their feet. Stickybot simulates this with tiny polymer pads.

Needless to say the military would be interested in such technology. So, I imagine, would a number of cat burglars...