VDATP
Volumetric Display using an Acoustically Trapped ParticleThis was such a fun project - I still giggle (maniacally) when watching this thing go. There's something truly magical about watching something levitate in mid-air and then start zipping around so fast, you can't see it. In any case, I hope these project files help someone!
By using phased arrays of ultrasonic transducers, it is possible to levitate a small 1mm foam ball and move it around at speeds greater than 1m/s. By moving the ball very quickly and leveraging the persistance of vision effect, this project can draw images in mid-air in a volume of 100x100x140mm. RGB LEDs are used to illuminate the foam ball at various points in its path to create multi-color images. 4 FPGAs are used to convert a position into the phased signals needed to drive the transducers. The FPGA can also rotate, translate and scale the images. You can even create animations - see a video for an animation of a butterfly flapping its wings. Kicad schematics and PCB layouts, FPGA code and simulator code are provided as well.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCC1C5KIeUA
References:
- PhysicsGirl acoustic levitator: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABjRnSYw-4k
- Acoustic levitator Instructable: https://www.instructables.com/Acoustic-Levitator/
- University of Sussex video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tm8JRlJ1q50
- University of Sussex paper: http://sro.sussex.ac.uk/id/eprint/86930/
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