Scientist's move levitating objects through space for first time.

[Maraya1969]

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/01/140106-levitation-ultrasonic-video-science/

Levitation isn't just for mystics anymore.

A Japanese technology team has demonstrated ultrasonic levitation of objects that for the first time works in three dimensions. This means that as opposed to merely lifting objects with sound waves, scientists can now move them through space in every direction. (See also "Watch Sodium and Water Levitate and Collide.&quot

First demonstrated in the 1940s, acoustic levitation has suffered its up and downs over the years, enjoying a resurgence in the past decade brought about by more powerful electronics. Researchers have dramatized the advances by levitating such things as bees, ants, and fish.

Now, in a study submitted to the Cornell University Library's physics archive, a team led by Yoichi Ochiai of the University of Tokyo reports that they have achieved a new level of control in acoustic levitation, moving plastic beads in three dimensions with an array of 285 sound-emitting transducers as the controllers.

Video of the feat has become popular on the Internet.

[RoverSuswade]

1. So we won't need YODA anymore?

Uhmmmmmmhmmmmmghmmm

[tclambert]

7. "There is no 'try.' Do or do not.

and quit whining, you Jedi wanna be."

[tridim]

2. I can levitate a ping pong ball on the stream of air from a vaccum cleaner hose.

Just kidding, this is pretty cool tech. Ultrasonic waves are very interesting.

I just learned the other day that imploding cavitation bubbles in typical ultrasonic cleaners generate a temperature of 5,000 degrees C and a shock wave that travels more 500 miles per hour.

[nikto]

9. I can levitate a ping pong ball with my breath

Easier to do with a straw (to focus the air current), but I can do it without one too.






I know, I know, what an incredible achievement.

[bananas]

3. industrial spacecraft in orbit

The Japanese researchers may have a different locale in mind for their technology: industrial spacecraft in orbit.

"It has not escaped our notice that our developed method for levitation under gravity suggests the possibility of developing a technology for handling objects under microgravity," they conclude at the end of their study.

[Aldo Leopold]

4. Next thing you know they'll be trying to

use this technology to build pyramids of giant monoliths or something.

[packman]

5. Bah

Saw an episode of X-men where a guy did this just by screaming. Micro-gravity(10 to the minus 8) today, Yotta (10 to the 24th power) tomorrow.

[VWolf]

6. Acoustic levitation was my Master's Thesis

at MIT.

I used high-intensity ultrasonic standing waves to levitate drops of water against gravity.
The intention was to use this approach to conduct cloud physics experiments, but my thesis was just about getting it to work.

By focusing the standing waves slightly inwards (toward the axis of radial symmetry), I was able to keep the droplets from drifting horizontally out of the test site. However, precise control in the horizontal directions proved difficult.

But I only needed two transducers, so there.

[Maraya1969]

10. Well good for you! I am impressed!

[VWolf]

18. Thanks!

The original version had resonances in the audible range. Boy oh boy did that piss off the other grad students.

Eventually I got the thing to go purely ultrasonic. I even demonstrated a droplet freezing in mid-air by placing the entire apparatus in a thermal chamber. The trick there, of course, was to maintain the standing wave while the speed of sound changed due to the thermal excursions. I solved this by installing an "ultrasonic" microphone in the reflector and employing a phase-locked loop, locking the excitation signal transmitted to the piezos to the signal received by the microphone. A servo mechanism adjusted the transmitter/reflector separation accordingly to maintain lock.

It's probably the coolest project I've ever been involved in. Every time someone reminds me of it, I get happy.

[nikto]

8. Technology is useless...

Unless it can be deployed in war, or used to destroy stuff.

At least, to America.


Call me back when scientists can use this technology to blow-up a country, or something.

Or at least, a decent-sized city block!

It's all about necessity.

[Maraya1969]

11. These "Binaural beat technology" is supposed to help you physically

I love this video below and I watch it often and it relaxes me. And when these notes are played on a metal plate with sand on it the sand makes all sorts of fancy designs like snowflakes. It is supposed to help your pineal gland which some people think is related to you psychic ability or, "third eye"

[nikto]

13. But if the pineal gland is exposed to The Resonator...

Start at 1:04

[Thor_MN]

12. Can they levitate an apostrophe where it does not belong?

[yourmovemonkey]

14. Good catch

I had to go back up to the top of the page, and look again.

[benld74]

16. The 1st levitation related pun?????,,,,

acoustic levitation has suffered its up and downs over the years

[Spitfire of ATJ]

17. That jumped out at me too.