Spider-powered claw machine is science’s latest mistake

Content warning: spiders, obviously.

A Texas university has released footage showing off the results of its latest experiments that have turned dead spiders into impressive lifting machines that could be used to make your favourite arcade games more…biodegradable.

In the video, the test spiders are attached to a needle that pushes air into the spider’s hydraulic powered legs to control them.

These puppeteered spiders are then are lowered over small objects, and the legs pick it up much like a claw grabber you’d find in a seaside arcade.

Unlike the claw grabber though, these creepy crawly claws seem to be pretty good at lifting consistently as they can reportedly lift up to 130% of their own bodyweight! 

The university has dubbed this process “necrobotics” which is definitely one of the more disturbing new words I’ve learned this week.

If your skin is crawling just at the thought of this creepy bit of corporate necromancy, remember that I’ve had to watch the video multiple times just to write this article.