Build Your Own Sonic Tractor Beam

Make things float in midair with the power of sound and your crafting skills.

Sonic tractor beams are pretty nifty applications of modern science and engineering. With a network of carefully positioned speakers, sonic tractor beams can make small objects float in midair using only the power of sound.

While the concept is cool, it's not simple to get your hands on one. You can't exactly buy them at the store. To solve this problem, researcher Asier Marzo designed and built a sonic tractor beam using simple DIY components. Marzo previously made headlines when he led a team to design the first flat tractor beam, and he's using his tractor beam experience to design one for the masses.

To make your own, you'll need an Arduino or similar microcontroller, a bunch of other electronics, several tiny speakers, and access to a 3D printer. The instructions involve a lot of messing with electronics, and also a bit of woodworking, so this isn't a project for those new to DIY.

Still, with both a video and a set of printed instructions, anyone with the parts and knowhow should be able to follow along and build their own marvel of modern engineering.

Source: BristolIG and Instructables

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