Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Acoustic Levitation
































Acoustic levitation is a method for suspending matter by using radiation pressure from intense sound waves - ex. an ultrasound emitter and reflector generate a sound pressure field. Some methods can levitate objects without creating sound heard by the human ear, others produce some audible sound. Apparently ants, spiders and ladybugs have endured this trick.
Via

Here's an annoying video about it (turn down your volume a bit):


This is an acoustic levitation chamber I designed and built in 1987 as a micro-gravity experiment for NASA related subject matter. The 12 inch cubed plexiglass Helmholtz Resonant Cavity has 3 speakers attached to the cube by aluminum acoustic waveguides.

By applying a continuous resonant(600Hertz) sound wave, and by adjusting the amplitude and phase relationship amongst the 3 speakers; I was able to control levitation and movement in all 3 (x,y,z) axis of the ambient space.

This research was used to show the effects of micro-gravity conditions that exist in the space shuttle environment in orbit, but done here on Earth in a lab.
This is not "anti-gravity." So don't waste time arguing something pointless.

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