Levitation is a phenomenon being widely studied by science enthusiasts and researchers. Sound waves are used in acoustic levitation to hold items in the air. For the first time, researchers have successfully levitated objects with sound waves. This is a new technique called acoustic levitation, and we will study more about it in this article.
What is Acoustic Levitation?
Acoustic levitation as the name suggests is a way of using sounds for causing the floating of objects. The found pressure and velocity cause the object to float and stay suspended there. A new update in Japan about acoustic levitation has sparked the interest of people in new ways to explore levitation and how we can use it in various industries.
How Does It Work?
Acoustic levitation is a phenomenon where the vibrations generated by sound-producing objects are used to lift objects against gravity. High amplitude sound waves can be used to defy gravity and retain items in the air. A reflective surface is utilized to its full potential and a sphere called an acoustic trap is created where sound waves are amplified at desirable wavelength and amplitude. To understand the working better imagine two surfaces- the reflecting surface at the top and transducing surface at the bottom. The sound wave velocity and the sound pressure distribution cause the object to float and the area is stabilized. This is how acoustic levitation comes into play.
Way forward
Acoustic levitation is an important phenomenon that can be a game-changer in the world of nanotechnology, drug manufacturing, and pharmaceutical development. Ryuji Hirayama, the lead author from University College London, remarked in a statement that “it opens up the prospects for fully immersive virtual reality experiences and interactive holograms.” This is going to be interesting to witness and further research can find multiple applications for the same.
- Scientists Are Getting Better and Better at Levitating Objects With Sound Waves (futurism.com)
- https://kids.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frym.2021.678021
- https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2014/01/02/259148381/using-sound-to-levitate-objects-and-move-them-in-mid-air
