Build your own levitation machine with this handy video guide
Levitation usually conjures images of wizards, psychics, or superheroes – but you too can master the art of mid-air suspension, if you’ve got the patience…
Researchers at the University of Bristol have concocted a guide to building your own mini levitation chamber at home. It’s not the easiest or quickest project, but it’s a great way to show off your technical know-how if you’re willing to stick it out.
The chamber, which is called ‘TinyLev’, is described as a multi-emitter single-axis acoustic levitator. That sounds complicated, but what it means is that you can suspend objects in the air using sound waves – and only on the vertical axis.
Here’s what it looks like:
Levitate Liquids and Insects at home.
Instructables: https://t.co/45l8Ron62w
Paper: https://t.co/LyHYhtrwwa
Video: https://t.co/69KQbxkGxg pic.twitter.com/CVd8Yqp0mw— Asier Marzo (@AsierMarzo) August 15, 2017
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You’ll need a few less-than-common household items, including ultrasonic transducers, an Arduino Nano circuitboard, and a 3D printer to boot. But if you can muster some willpower and the necessary components, you can levitate all manner of items.
Here’s a full video guide:
“This technology has been previously restricted to a couple of research labs but now you can make it at your home,” said Asier Marzo, a co-author of the paper, who says the invention can “use acoustic waves to hold in mid-air” samples like water or tiny electric components.
Marzo added that the project enabled the “democratisation of acoustic levitation”, and that he hoped TinyLev would help more research labs and schools “have access to acoustic levitation or even make it a standard science experiment demonstration”.
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If you build this levitation chamber, let us know how it went via Facebook or Twitter.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
