Scientists at the University of Bristol are developing a new robotic suction cup inspired by octopus suckers that can grasp rough, curved and heavy stone.

The average octopus has eight arms and 240 suckers per arm. These suckers offer the creatures superb adaptive suction abilities, enabling them to grasp onto various objects – including attaching to dry, complex surfaces such as rocks and shells.

A research team based at the university’s Bristol Robotics Laboratory has been looking into just how these biological suckers work, with the aim of creating artificial suction cups that can be used in industrial environments.

Currently, industrial solutions use air pumps to generate suction. However, many natural organisms with suckers, including octopuses, suckerfish and leeches, are able to maintain adaptive suction by exploiting just their soft body structures.

Previous studies into biological suckers show that suction is due to the mechanical deformation of the organism’s soft body, as well...