Levitation

Need something to place alongside your levitating Bluetooth speakers? It looks like progress in magnetic levitation, induction and one product designer's brain have come together to save the day. The Flyte globe hovers freely above its base, offering a unique way to light up a room.

Scientists from Brazil's University of São Paulo have created what they claim is a better acoustic levitator – a device that can suspend small objects in mid-air. It's less fussy about the exact orientation of its components, making it more feasible for use in practical applications.

Developed as part of the MAGDRIVE research project, a new frictionless transmission gear and corresponding contactless axles have been created using superconductor magnetic levitation. Aimed primarily for use in spacecraft, the system is also adaptable for use in automobiles, railways, and aircraft.

Scientists at the University of California Berkeley claim to have produced a "bottle" beam of acoustic energy that can precisely direct sound waves through open air without the need for waveguides or other mechanical assistance, promising applications in acoustic cloaking and levitation.

For the first time, ETH researchers have been able to control the movement of objects and droplets of liquid suspended in mid air on acoustic waves. The technology makes it possible to mix droplets in mid air without any potential contamination or interference from surfaces.

The designers of the BAT levitating wireless mouse say that it's been developed to help prevent Carpal tunnel syndrome.

Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory have implemented levitation in order to improve the drug development process.

Eighteen year-old engineering student Chris Rieger has spent the last six months building his LevLight system, where an LED light module floats in mid-air while wirelessly receiving its power from a coil hidden inside a wooden box.

November 19, 2005 There’s a time and a place to feel confident and on top of the game, and sometimes the things around us can help us feel grounded, comfortabl