ArticleAnnals of the New York Academy of Sciences2024
Enhanced wet grip with North American river otter paws.
Article in Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
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Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Construction of a Mathematical Model of the Irregular Plantar and Complex Morphology of Mallard Foot and the Bionic Design of a High-Traction Wheel Grouser.Biomimetics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Enhanced wet grip with North American river otter paws.Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
Abstract
The semi-aquatic North American river otter (Lontra canadensis) has the unique challenge of navigating slippery algae-coated rocks. Unlike other river otter species, each rear paw of the North American river otter has a series of soft, circular, and keratinized plantar pads similar to the felt pads on the boots of fly fishermen. Surrounding these soft pads is a textured epidermal layer. In this combined experimental and numerical study, we investigate the influence of the plantar pads and surrounding skin on the otter's grip. We filmed an otter walking and performed materials testing and histology on preserved otter paws. We present experiments and numerical modeling of how the otter paw may help evacuate water when contacting the river bed. We hope this study will draw interest into natural amphibious grip mechanisms for use in sports and the military.
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