Why bother to design your own robots when you can just reuse what nature created? This was the thought process behind a research project from engineers at Rice University who successfully transformed dead spiders into robotic gripping claws. The scientists have dubbed their new area of research "necrobotics" and say it could create cheap, effective, and biodegradable alternatives to current robotic systems. Well, while humans move their limbs using pairs of antagonistic muscles, like biceps and triceps, spiders' legs contain only a single flexor muscle that draws the leg inward. This is opposed by a hydraulic system: a chamber in the center of the spider's body (known as a prosoma) pushes out fluid to open the leg, with separate valves allowing the animal to control each limb independently.

I am a robotics booster. I believe that smart robots will have a positive impact, helping us deal with some of the challenges that humanity will continue to face over the next several decades – from climate change to food production, from shelter to entertainment. Basically, I'm optimistic about the role robots can have in our lives. However, every now and then I run into specific areas that give me pause, and the emerging field (?) of necrobotics is one of them. In case you're wondering, necrobotics means turning dead tissue into (parts of) a robot.

While we've seen scientists find novel ways to use insects after they're dead, it's hard to imagine any group of researchers topping the work of a team from Rice University that turned lifeless wolf spiders into "necrobotic" grippers. Yes, you read that right – and, no, you're not the only one with a sudden phantom itch. How did we get here? Well, I'm glad you asked. Let's start with an anatomy lesson.

Arachnophobes look away now; engineers have found a way to turn dead spiders into mechanical gripping robots straight out of your nightmares. Researchers from Rice University in Texas pumped wolf spider cadavers with air to get their legs to unfurl and clasp around objects. They discovered that the arachnids were able to lift 130 per cent of their own body weight, and could manipulate a circuit board. It is hoped the delicate gripper could be used in microelectronics, or that its natural camouflage could be helpful if capturing small insects for study. Daniel Preston, assistant professor in mechanical engineering, said: 'It happens to be the case that the spider, after it's deceased, is the perfect architecture for small scale, naturally derived grippers.