New contactless levitation system moves delicate components with high precision

Researchers at Yokohama National University developed an untethered acoustic levitation device that moves delicate components in any direction without surface contact. The system uses sound waves to create frictionless movement, achieving speeds over three meters per second while carrying up to 43 grams of payload. This compact, wireless technology eliminates friction problems that plague traditional transport methods, offering precision for electronics assembly, chemical sampling, and biomedical applications where contamination must be avoided.