Virginia Tech University Scientists have invented a novel electronic chip that generates acoustic waves capable of moving objects without touching them, like “invisible grabbers.”
Although other methods for moving objects without touching them already exist, the new approach is the first to generate waves directly on the chip capable of manipulating individual objects or fluids without direct contact.
The research team behind the new design believes their acoustic wave-generating chip could benefit scientific and manufacturing processes that rely on moving objects without physical contact, including micro robotics, nanoengineering, and customized drug manufacturing.
According to a statement detailing the acoustic wave-generating chip, Virginia Tech University Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering Zhenhua Tian and his team were intrigued by the idea of generating acoustic waves capable of moving objects without touching them. However, when evaluating previous approaches, the team found that the actual generation of the waves was acting as a limiting factor in the approach’s practical applications.
For example, the current standard for producing acoustic waves on electronic chips is an interdigital transducer (IDT). But according to the research team, IDTs do not produce “highly customizable curved and overlapping waves” needed to trap and move objects, including fluids, without touching them.
“Think of it like trying to move a ping pong ball with the flat of your hand; you can roll it along a surface, but you can’t pick it up and freely move it,” they explained.
Funded by a 2024 National Science Foundation CAREER Award, Tian and his team worked to develop a chip that can generate crisscrossing acoustic waves, which can be tuned to work together like invisible grabbers. This meant reimagining the wave transmitter’s shape and redesigning the electrodes that create the energy waves emanating from the chip.
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