Since discovering the mechanism behind the gecko’s otherwise inexplicable adhesive capabilities, science has scrambled to develop real-word applications for humans. While some have mimicked the forces at work, they’ve run into issues scaling up the technology to accommodate larger objects (like humans). Now, scientists at Stanford have managed to develop gloves using gecko-inspired tech that can allow a human to scale walls.

Previous attempts have, technically, been able to replicate the gecko’s adhesive capabilities, but scale was always the issue. Though scientists could apply the principle to suspend very small objects just fine, things got dicier the larger they became. For instance, climbing pads using previous technology would have needed to be about 10 times the size of a human hand to effectively support the weight.

Not so with this latest iteration – the hexagonal climbing pads are virtually the same size as the climber’s hand.

The climbing pads don’t use any type of traditionally “sticky” adhesive – they’re made of something called polydimethylsiloxane, a silicone material. When layered as microscopic wedges, the surface of the gloves perform just like a gecko’s feet – using van der Waals force, the tiny silicone protrusions actually bond with the wall at the molecular level. As of yet, the material only works on very smooth surfaces.

In the test, it took the human subject about 90 seconds to climb what appears to be around four feet – but that’s a function of the climber’s posture, not the adhesive. Researchers say the adhesive can bond and release in under a second, so ergonomic tweaks are what’s needed to improve climbing speed.

Though the technology is impressive, some have been quick to criticize the limited application – humans don’t have much need for climbing smooth glass surfaces, for instance, and others note that the technology would be subject to humidity, dust and other debris outside the laboratory setting.