For people who haven’t heard, ultrasonic levitation is a course of by which two or extra ultrasonic transducers are set reverse to one another and excited in such a method as to create a standing wave between them. The sound is, because the identify implies, ultrasonic — so exterior the vary of human listening to — however robust sufficient in order that the small, mild objects may be positioned and held fastened in mid-air the place there’s a stress minimal within the standing wave. [Olimex] has created a small ultrasonic levitation equipment that exemplifies this phenomena.
The equipment itself is made utilizing through-hole elements, with an ATTiny85 because the core microcontroller to drive two TCT40-16T ultrasonic audio system, and a MAX232 to offer a USB interface. Two slotted rectangular PCB items that solder connect with the principle board, present a base in order that the machine stands upright when assembled. The entire machine is powered via the USB connection, and the ultrasonic audio system output within the 40KHz vary offering sufficient energy to levitate small Styrofoam balls.
The undertaking is, by design, an train in minimalism, offering a equipment that may be simply assembled, and offering code that may be simply flashed onto the machine, examined and modified. All of the design information, together with the invoice of supplies, KiCAD schematics, and supply code are offered below an open supply {hardware} license to permit for anybody desirous to understand how such a undertaking works, or to increase it themselves, ample alternative. [Olimex] additionally has the equipment on the market for these not desirous to supply boards and components themselves.
We’ve featured ultrasonic levitation gadgets earlier than, from naked bones system pushed by a NE555 to huge phased arrays.
