Scientists have managed to move objects without touching them using ultrasound

    

    The tractor beam from Star Trek is about to become a reality, at least on a smaller scale. Researchers at the University of Minnesota in the United States have discovered how to move objects without touching them, using ultrasound. They published their results in the journal Nature Communications.

    Previous research has succeeded in moving objects of the order of a few millimeters or nanometers, thanks to sound or light waves, respectively, provided that they are smaller than the wavelength. This new research makes it possible to manipulate larger objects. The object moved in this study measures 77.7 x 20.2 x 11.1 millimeters.

Objects drawn by ultrasound thanks to metasurfaces

    This advance is possible thanks to metasurfaces. In other words, the object is covered with tiny patterns that change the way ultrasound interacts with the object. This allows researchers to control the direction of the force exerted. Moreover, the ultrasound will not only repel the object: it can also pull it back toward the source.

    This technique could open up new applications in many areas of science, as well as robotics and manufacturing, thanks to the ability to manipulate objects without touching them and without the need for an internal power source. This study is a proof of concept for now, but the researchers plan to test different materials, frequencies, and object sizes.