ACOUSTIC LEVITATION SYSTEM
DESIGN CHALLENGE
How to build a system to investigate the interaction between electromagnetic fields and biological fluids without the interference of any cuvette containing the solution under investigation?
COMPUTATIONAL MODELLING
ACOUSTIC SIMULATION
Utilization of acoustic fields to create pressure nodes in space allowing liquid droplets to be levitated in mid-air.
Design parameters must be carefully optimized via simulation to produce the required pressure nodes at the desired position.
*Credit to Asier Marzo for the simulation software environment.
PROTOTYPE DEVELOPMENT
MECHANICAL DESIGN
Total of 4x arrays of 5x5 acoustic transducers emitting at 40kHz.
Helmholtz Coil System surrounding the levitation area.
Total of 4x electronic PCB mounts to power each 4 transducer arrays.
ELECTRONIC DESIGN
Total of 4x Arduino Mega Microcontrollers producing logic signals powering the acoustic transducers.
Amplification PCB module amplifying the logic signals produced by the microcontroller with TC4427 MOFSETS.
Power input protecter via decoupling capacitors.
Board to board logic communication using UART protocol.
TESTING & VALIDATION
