Electromagnetic Climbing Like a Spiderman

The 49th video came up with a very original and extreme idea. Our primary aim was to make a tool that would enable us to climb on a metallic building and generally on anything made of metal. So, as it is obvious, the fundamental part of our idea was to be based on electromagnets.

Particularly, we decided to make four electromagnets placed one in each leg and in each arm. Then, we made a bag filled with batteries that would provide energy to our system while the switches would manage our pace. In particular, we took four old microwave ovens that we found in a rubbish bin and we used their transformers for our construction. Next, after cutting the transformers in the middle and only keeping the first spool, we managed to make four powerful electromagnets. With constant experiments, we achieved to shrink the size of the electromagnets as much as possible as well as to increase their power. Also, we drilled the electromagnets in order to be able to place them on a basis and on the human limbs.

Regarding the electromagnets that we created for the upper limbs, we made metallic handles that would be used to place our hands to pull the weight of the body upwards. At the point of the handle, we chose a metallic tube with small dimensions in order to have less weight, good hold, convenient grip to support the body and space to put the switches that would control the pace.

Regarding the lower limbs, we made a basis, where the shoes of the user will be placed in a way that the most load of the weight will be supported on the tiptoe in order to leave the electromagnet unaffected from the constant increase of the body’s weight. Therefore, when the human steps on a particular point that will be located on a further point of its tiptoe, the multiplication of the load will not be a problem.

Moreover, to keep the electromagnet stable in the shoe, we made special points in which scratch belts were passing through to ensure the stability and the adjustment in any size of a shoe. For the handles, we used one of these scratch belts that keep the handle stable in the user’s hands from its wrist while at the lower limbs, we used two belts in each limb to ensure stability.

In order to make our mechanism easier to use, we used a push-off switch. Thus, as long as we do not press our switches, the electromagnets are activated while pressing them, the electromagnets get deactivated.

Initially, we connected the left arm with the right leg and the right arm with the left leg as it is the normal gait of human. However, we realized that it was easier to connect the function of the right arm’s electromagnet with the right leg’s one and respectively for the left limbs as well.

Whatismore, to prove that our construction functions properly, we put metallic blades of 6 meters long on a two-storey building and by using 4 batteries of 12volts, we climbed on the top of this building.

Although, the climbing on a flat wall of a building reminds us a science-fiction movie like the ‘Spiderman’, the particular construction was very interesting and adventurous to be made. Even if our construction is the only original design, is efficiently functional but it definitely has the potential of improvement regarding its weight, comfort and functionality. The point at the handles where the switches were placed is quite convenient and functional.

Considering all the above, if we were in a place to reconstruct such a construction, we would pay more attention on the more ergonomic construction of the bases where the shoes are placed. Even if the particular construction has no use besides providing us entertainment, carrying out this project we realized how useful the electromagnets can be and how powerful they are in lifting great loads of weight by just getting energy from some batteries.

Finally, we are completely satisfied and thrilled by the adrenalin given to us making the particular construction.