ing new markets. It has a lot of properties that are just not seen in today's materials, so it's kind of fun." Asked what that properties might be, Crosby declined to elaborate, citing the ongoing discussions.
Crosby is also unsure how much a consumer might pay for a Geckskin product, but it doesn't sound like it will be that expensive to manufacture. "Right now we estimate that at least the materials costs are under 25 cents for a pad to hold something about 700 pounds. That's small scale production, but not including labor."
The 700-pound capacity design is constructed with materials like carbon fiber and Kevlar. Crosby says they also have a design using more affordable nylon like that used in a school backpack.
"The materials that this technology works with are things that are found in bathroom caulking and things that we found at Jo-Ann Fabrics. Now the things that we found at Jo-Ann Fabrics can hold 200 to 300 pounds. It doesn't hold 700 pounds. But still, a 200-pound [capacity] pad with something you can buy at Target isn't bad."
So when will you be able to purchase a Geckskin product?
"We're marching along. We would hope that there would be some kind of product or commercial application by the end of next year. In terms of whether you see it hanging a 42-inch TV by next year, that's unlikely. There's going to have to be more testing for duration. But for certain products I think it can come out pretty quickly. It holds with pretty good confidence from what we've seen."