Wireless Acoustic Levitation Device Promises Revolution in the Microcomponent Industry

Written by Fabio Lucas Carvalho

Published on 13/08/2025 at 10:18

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Researchers of the National University of Yokohama Develop Wireless Acoustic Levitation Device Capable of Moving Delicate Parts with Speed and Precision.

Transporting miniaturized components quickly and precisely is still a challenge for industries working at microscopic scales.

The friction from conveyors and other mechanisms limits speed and accuracy, as well as causing damage to fragile parts.

This problem is even more critical in mechanical, chemical, and biomedical applications, where small vibrations can compromise results.

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Wireless Acoustic Levitation

The system uses acoustic levitation, a technology that employs sound waves to suspend objects in the air. This approach eliminates the large magnets typical of magnetic levitation and does not rely on pressurized gas, as seen in pneumatic setups.

Thus, it avoids weight, high cost, and limitations for use in compact devices.

However, traditional acoustic levitation platforms use cables for power and control, which complicates positioning in high-precision processes.

According to Associate Professor Ohmi Fuchiwaki, the team eliminated this barrier by creating a wireless drive circuit. This ensures stable levitation height and rapid transport, with complete freedom of movement.

Performance in Tests

The tests showed that the device can achieve speeds of over three meters per second on inclined surfaces.

In a test with a 10° incline, it slid freely when levitation was active but stopped when it was turned off, proving that friction was overcome.

The equipment also maintained stability while transporting up to 150 grams in total, with about 43 grams designated for payload.

Above this weight, levitation ceased to function, interrupting movement.

Compact Design and Movement in Any Direction

The operation is ensured by a piezoelectric actuator that creates a compression film between two surfaces. This thin layer of fluid allows the platform to move in any direction without physical contact.

With a size on a centimeter scale, the design is ideal for confined spaces.

Among the possible applications are assembling electronic components, transporting chemical samples in sterile environments, and moving biomedical cells without direct contact.

The lack of contact reduces contamination risks, an important factor for sensitive operations.

Potential for Future Application

The experimental results confirmed the theoretical predictions and reinforced the viability of the technology. The team believes that speed, maneuverability, and the absence of wires make the system suitable for environments that require precision and cleanliness.

The researchers plan to connect multiple units with a propulsion mechanism, creating mobile robots for contactless delivery.

These robots could circulate in factories, laboratories, and hospitals without touching surfaces.

Additionally, the team aims to increase levitation efficiency, improve stability when carrying objects, and adapt the system for uneven terrains.

Achieving these goals would enable the technology to be used in conventional industrial applications, expanding its reach beyond controlled laboratory conditions.

The findings were published in the journal Advanced Intelligent Systems.

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Wireless Acoustic Levitation Device Promises Revolution in the Microcomponent Industry

Researchers of the National University of Yokohama Develop Wireless Acoustic Levitation Device Capable of Moving Delicate Parts with Speed and Precision.

Wireless Acoustic Levitation

Performance in Tests

Compact Design and Movement in Any Direction

Potential for Future Application

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Wireless Acoustic Levitation Device Promises Revolution in the Microcomponent Industry

Researchers of the National University of Yokohama Develop Wireless Acoustic Levitation Device Capable of Moving Delicate Parts with Speed and Precision.

Wireless Acoustic Levitation

Performance in Tests

Compact Design and Movement in Any Direction

Potential for Future Application

A giant printer called the “Ferrari” of concrete has landed in Latin America and can already build a 120-square-meter house in just 48 hours, making the traditional construction site look like something from the last century.

Brazil will harvest a record crop of up to 357 million tons of grains, but it does not have the capacity to store a large part of it. The storage deficit has reached the highest level in history and is equivalent to almost the entire production of Argentina.

Four times faster than the Concorde, capable of taking passengers from New York to London in less than an hour at Mach 5.5, and with an engine that switches from turbojet to ramjet mid-flight at Mach 3.5, the Hermeus Quarterhorse went from paper to its first flight in just 19 months.

She started by collecting oyster shells from restaurants and today she has already accumulated more than 10 tons to restore reefs, recover coastal habitats, and demonstrate how a common waste can become a tool for ocean conservation.

SpaceX will dock a $843 million vehicle to the International Space Station to push a nearly 420-ton laboratory against the atmosphere and make the debris fall in a controlled manner into the ocean.

China opens the world’s first school where more than 100 humanoid robots from different brands will study together, each movement will be repeated up to 600 times a day and the data will feed a collective brain that will teach all the robots of the future.

Three teenagers surprise the world by creating a powder with tamarind seeds that removes microplastics from water, requires no electricity, and wins an international prize of $12,500 at The Earth Prize 2026.

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