Real-life Spider-Man web-shooter ditches webbing for tiny harpoons

04-22-2014 • http://www.dvice.com, Colin Druce-McFadden

Concocted by Patrick Priebe, the same evil genius who recently gave us a Cyclops-inspired laser visor, this proof-of-concept web-slinging device does almost everything Spidey's does.

With three in-glove buttons, the web-shooter is controlled just like its comic book counterpart. One button charges the device, another fires a projectile and a third launches the retractable brass-tipped harpoon which stands in for Spidey's webbing. As this is a proof-of-concept model, the web-shooter is driven by a 350 volt battery that pumps out about 100 joules of capacitive energy. As for the kinetic force of the harpoon on impact, that's probably about five joules, which is barely enough to skewer a styrofoam block across your desk.

As it stands, stabbing cinder block walls and traversing great aerial distances are pretty much out. But Priebe says he might be able to ramp up the power and range of his web-shooter in future models. However, he is quick to say that it won't actually make you into Spider-Man. For that you'd need some serious arm strength and something more like Peter Parker's webbing solution, not a harpoon.