Geckos alter foot orientation during downhill locomotion

When moving on steep downhill surfaces geckos reverse the position of their hind feet to potentially use their adhesive system as a brake, a new study has found.
The research has applications in robotics, specifically in how robots can be designed to move up and down complicated surfaces, scientists said.
Geckos employ an adhesive system that facilitates their climbing vertically, and even in inverted positions.
On the underside of their toes are "setae," millions of very fine hair-like structures, which provide increased surface area and close contact between the foot and the surface on which it rests.
This adhesive system works best when loading - the application of the gecko's weight - occurs along the long-axis of the toe, and when this loading is along the natural curvature of the setae.

Researchers set out to determine if geckos employ this adhesive system when moving downhill.

Biologists at the University of California, Riverside conducted experiments on geckos in the lab to find the answer.
They found that when moving on steep downhill surfaces geckos reverse the position of their hind feet to potentially use the adhesive system as a brake and/or stabiliser, resulting in the digits of the hind feet facing backwards and the setae in the hind feet aligned along the natural curvature of the setae to counteract gravity.
Specifically, on a 45 degree downhill slope, the geckos were found to rotate their hind limbs up to 70 degrees more posteriorly (toward the tail).

"This multi-functionality of the gecko adhesive system permits effective locomotion on both uphill and downhill slopes," said Timothy Higham, an assistant professor of biology, in whose lab the research was done.
"Without this ability, geckos would be effective at going up, but they would not be able to descend as easily. Indeed, they could plummet downhill," Higham found.
The research also showed that when geckos move downhill, the forelimbs likely serve as brakes, pressing down on the surface to increase friction; and the hind limbs likely act as stabilisers, akin to the training wheels on a child's bicycle.
The research is published in Biology Letters, a publication of the Royal Society.