# Vacuum-Powered Spiderman Suits The Ascending Aggies Lets People Climb Walls By Josh Triantafilou | Published 2012-06-30 | Unique Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ascending-aggies References: [popularmechanics](http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/military/research/a-suction-ascender-for-special-forces-to-scale-walls-10037466?click=pm_news) & [coe.utah.edu](http://www.coe.utah.edu/) Students at the College of Engineering, Utah State University have designed and built a suit, the ‘Ascending Aggies,’ which allows its wearer to scale walls like Spiderman. Of course, this sounds like a lot of fun, but the motivation behind this project was a little bit more serious. Each year the Air Force Research Laboratory hosts a design challenge open to universities around the U.S. This year the Ascending Aggies was the winner. The suit uses [vacuum-powered suction cups](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/popsockets-suckup-grip-and-mount) to fasten its user to vertical surfaces. [U.S. Special Forces](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cargo-glider) are often required to find their way to difficult-to-reach places -- like on top of buildings -- while hauling hundreds of pounds of gear. As such, the U.S. military is constantly on the lookout for technologies that can assist with efforts such as these. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 5.1/10 - Popularity: 54% | Activity: 92% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Unique](https://www.trendhunter.com/unique) > [Inventions](https://www.trendhunter.com/inventions) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Vacuum-powered Spiderman Suits:** The trend of using vacuum-powered suction cups in wearable technology enables users to scale vertical surfaces like Spiderman. - **Ascending Aggies:** The trend of university design challenges promoting innovative solutions for the military showcases the potential for collaboration between academia and the defense industry. - **Vertical Mobility Technology:** The trend of developing wearable technologies for vertical mobility provides opportunities for enhancing the capabilities of Special Forces and other professionals in reaching difficult-to-access locations. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Wearable Technology:** The wearable technology industry can explore the application of vacuum-powered suction cups in various products and services, such as climbing gear and safety equipment. - **Defense and Military:** The defense and military industry can leverage innovations like the 'Ascending Aggies' suit to enhance the effectiveness and safety of Special Forces operations in challenging environments. - **Academic Research and Development:** The academic research and development sector can focus on projects that address real-world challenges, such as creating innovative solutions for the military, as showcased by the 'Ascending Aggies' suit. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Air-Ground Amphibious Quadruped Robots](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/airground-amphibious-quadruped-robots.md) - [Vertical Wall-Climbing Inspection Robots](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hausbots-hb1.md) - [State-Of-The-Art Exoskeleton Technology](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/exoskeleton-technology.md) - [Metaverse-Ready Bodysuits](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/shockwave-vr.md) - [AI-Powered Outdoor Exoskeletons](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hypershell-x-ultra.md) - [Self-Installing Exoskeletons](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/selfinstalling-exoskeleton.md) - [Future-Focused Air-Filtering Suits](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/voice-in-sight.md) - [Resistance Training Space Outfits](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cosmofit-exosuit.md) - [Salvaged Spacecraft Material Jackets](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/martian-aerogel-jacket.md)