Could this tiny robot eventually push back planes on airport tarmacs?

Sure, this robot may be tiny but it packs a punch: the 12 gram microbot can pull up to 2,000 times its own weight. Dubbed a µTug due to its small size, the robot has gecko-like sticky feet that can grasp a surface so strongly that it can pull a much-heavier object. The robot also has wheels with which to maneuver itself, a combo that makes for a formidable machine that performs far above its weight class.

The sticky feet require a solid surface to function, so that means no tugging items through grass or other uneven surfaces, but glass and concrete — each of which give enough surface for the sticky gecko feet to grasp — are no problem.

One of the clear areas that could benefit from this robot would be in pushing back planes from the gate. Currently, this requires enormous TUGs weighing up to 116,000 pounds, but this technology would allow much smaller TUGs to be used for pushback, not only saving money on a human operator but also on upfront cost and ongoing maintenance and fuel expenses.

Of course, this assumes that the technology scales. The research paper explains that it would actually be easier to build a bigger robot since a larger size allows for faster switching between the "feet" of the sticky surface. By moving them faster, speed is increased — an essential metric for any pushback machine.

If the robot is large enough to use a continuously rotating motor (electromagnetic, piezoelectric or otherwise) gearbox, the actuation cycle can be tailored to the needs of the adhesive for impressive performance. As expected, the efficiency increases with increasing step size due to the parasitic losses in the loading and unloading of the system including the adhesives as well.

Or, in more human speak, here's how the geckobot works: