Mechanical underwater adhesive devices for soft substrates

Ziliang Kang, Johanna A. Gomez, Alisa MeiShan Ross, Ameya R. Kirtane, Ming Zhao, Yubin Cai, Fu Xing Chen, Corona L. Chen, Isaac Diaz Becdach, Rajib Dey, Andrei Russel Ismael, Injoo Moon, Yiyuan Yang, Benjamin N. Muller, Mehmet Girayhan Say, Andrew Pettinari, Jason Kobrin, Joshua Morimoto, Ted Smierciak, Aaron Lopes, Ayten Ebru Erdogan, Matt Murphy, Niora Fabian, Ashley Guevara, Benedict Laidlaw, Kailyn Schmidt, Alison M. Hayward, Alexandra H. Techet, Christopher P. Kenaley and Giovanni Traverso ()
Additional contact information
Ziliang Kang: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Johanna A. Gomez: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Alisa MeiShan Ross: Harvard Medical School
Ameya R. Kirtane: Harvard Medical School
Ming Zhao: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Yubin Cai: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Fu Xing Chen: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Corona L. Chen: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Isaac Diaz Becdach: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Rajib Dey: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Andrei Russel Ismael: Harvard Medical School
Injoo Moon: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Yiyuan Yang: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Benjamin N. Muller: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Mehmet Girayhan Say: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Andrew Pettinari: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Jason Kobrin: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Joshua Morimoto: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Ted Smierciak: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Aaron Lopes: Harvard Medical School
Ayten Ebru Erdogan: Harvard Medical School
Matt Murphy: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Niora Fabian: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Ashley Guevara: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Benedict Laidlaw: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Kailyn Schmidt: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Alison M. Hayward: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Alexandra H. Techet: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Christopher P. Kenaley: Boston College
Giovanni Traverso: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Nature, 2025, vol. 643, issue 8074, 1271-1280

Abstract: Abstract Achieving long-term underwater adhesion to dynamic, regenerating soft substrates that undergo extreme fluctuations in pH and moisture remains a major unresolved challenge, with far-reaching implications for healthcare, manufacturing, robotics and marine applications1–16. Here, inspired by remoras—fish equipped with specialized adhesive discs—we developed the Mechanical Underwater Soft Adhesion System (MUSAS). Through detailed anatomical, behavioural, physical and biomimetic investigations of remora adhesion on soft substrates, we uncovered the key physical principles and evolutionary adaptations underlying their robust attachment. These insights guided the design of MUSAS, which shows extraordinary versatility, adhering securely to a wide range of soft substrates with varying roughness, stiffness and structural integrity. MUSAS achieves an adhesion-force-to-weight ratio of up to 1,391-fold and maintains performance under extreme pH and moisture conditions. We demonstrate its utility across highly translational models, including in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo settings, enabling applications such as ultraminiaturized aquatic kinetic temperature sensors, non-invasive gastroesophageal reflux monitoring, long-acting antiretroviral drug delivery and messenger RNA administration via the gastrointestinal tract.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-09304-4

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