Batman Inspired Grappling Hook Created At BYU

Batman has gone through so many iterations that we've lost count, but one thing that's always been consistent is his fantastic set of gadgets and toys. The grappling hook is the most famous of the bunch, propelling the dark knight to the city rooftops. Students at Brigham Young University has been tasked with a challenge: create a grappling apparatus similar to Batman's that can get four people up a vertical structure in 20 minutes or less.

The team immediately began researching the best method for being able to scale the 90 foot high platform, and arrived at a two part attachment system. Their projectile is mounted with a head which is covered in a adhesive patch which should attack to the wall. Underneath that is a light cured adhesive strip, activated by UV light which turns into a permanent epoxy. A system of pulleys then helps the user pull themselves up.

The system that the team designed is able to support member of the marines, as well as the 300 pound gear they have to carry. While the challenge states that four members must ascend 90 feet in twenty minutes, the grappling hook the students designed can lift people are around 30 feet per minute.

Sure, it's not quite as cool or compact as what Batman carries, but it's a step in the right direction. Check the video below to see it in action.

[via Kotaku]