A limbless body temporarily deforms the lateral sides to adapt to and respond to minute variations in vertical surfaces to facilitate vertical movement.
The rat snake is a limbless reptile that can easily climb vertical surfaces such as trees and rock faces to seek safety, food, or sun. This seemingly impossible feat is accomplished by flexing its multitudes of muscles along the length of its body to morph and grip any imperfections along the surface. This action allows the snake to have a "foothold" to push sections of its body out to grip the surface. Such a design could be applied to human designs focused on handicapped access or search and rescue missions that require movement over uneven surfaces.
