Will this Alum's Superhero Suit Scale Tall Buildings?

Admit it, you always wanted a superhero suit. And I'm not talking tights and a cape. I mean a Tony-Stark-Iron-Man-esque suit that really works for you. Something that helps you reach high places and commands authority. An instant PR buzz. But who has the time to really build one right? Zoz Brooks PhD ’07, that's who.Brooks is costar of the Discovery Channel's Prototype This!, in which a team of engineers and PhDs use emerging technologies to invent wacky, unique prototypes aimed at solving today's problems and having fun. And next on the schedule? The team attempts to create a real-life superhero, Geckoman, inspired by, you guessed it, the gecko. The four-man team splits up to devise three different prototypes: one a sticky adhesive to scale glass buildings, another a claw-like system to climb vertical concrete structures, and Brooks' invention: an electrical solution that can carry a human straight up both. Will his prototype work? Tune in March 19 at 4:00 p.m. ET/PT (or set your DVR) to find out.Brooks, whose MIT degree is in electrical engineering and computer science, is not new to television. In 2002, he appeared on the Discovery Channel to solve the nagging question: are crop circles created by extraterrestrials, or can humans recreate them? (Answer: the latter). Learn about Brooks' latest gig on Prototype This! in a video interview and read his top ten lists of favorite things and things that suck. And mark your calendar for March 26, when Brooks and the team attempt to engineer the world's first robotic dog sitter.Above, Prototype This! hosts (from left) Terry Sandin, Zoz Brooks PhD ’07, Joe Grand, and Mike North, with the backyard waterslide simulator they created using the laws of physics and a whole lot of steel. The simulator makes ten 360-degree turns during a ride lasting three minutes, which is more than 10 times as long as a traditional water slide. Watch video of the slide in action or check out more videos from the show. Photo: Discovery Channel/Don Feria.