researchers at stanford university combined mother nature and a mother board to build this climbing machine. >> draw a lot of inspiration of the robot and the adhesive directly from how geckos climb. >> reporter: the feet are equipped with rubber pads made up of microscopic hairs, much like a gecko. each leg ipowered by four mini motors and even the tail serves a purpose and acts as an anchor and helps balance the bot. but this research funded partially by the department of defense isn't just to create a cool new toy. >> the adhesives have been looked at from everything from space exploration to military uses to manufacturing uses. the robotic research is very important because we want to be able to send robots into challenging environments. it's really about making robots go anywhere we want them to go. >> reporter: beyond the robots researchers say there's interest in boots and gloves. one day we might see military troops or firefighters scaling walls just like the superhero from the movie spider-man.