Patent ID: 7554787

Claim:
A robot comprising: a body; a mechanism for locomotion mechanically coupled to the body; and at least one electroadhesive device mechanically coupled to the mechanism for locomotion and configured to detachably adhere to a foreign substrate, the electroadhesive device including a deformable surface for interfacing with a surface of the substrate, a first electrode configured to apply a first voltage at a first location of the deformable surface, a second electrode configured to apply a second voltage at a second location of the deformable surface, wherein the difference in voltage between the first voltage and second voltage includes an electrostatic adhesion voltage that produces an electrostatic force between the at least one electroadhesive device and the substrate that is suitable to maintain a current position of the at least one electroadhesive device relative to the substrate, and an insulation material disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode and configured to substantially maintain the electrostatic adhesion voltage difference between the first electrode and the second electrode.