Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

Acoustics

Motion controlled by sound

Nature volume 537, pages 493–494 (2016)Cite this article

Subjects

A simple technique has been developed that produces holograms made of sound waves. These acoustic landscapes are used to manipulate microscale objects, and offer great potential in medical imaging and selective heating. See Letter p.518

Although sound waves oscillate, they exert a steady force on suspended objects. This force can be used to trap and manipulate particles1, droplets2 and cells3 in microfluidic and levitation systems. On page 518, Melde et al.4 report an impressively simple technique that produces complex acoustic holograms. The forces exerted within these holograms allow for stunning results in particle patterning and in controlling particle trajectories.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Get just this article for as long as you need it

$39.95

Learn more

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1: Holograms of sound.

Notes

  1. See all news & views

References

  1. Schwarz, T., Petit-Pierre, G. & Dual, J. J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 133, 1260–1268 (2013).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  2. Sesen, M., Alan, T. & Neild, A. Lab Chip 15, 3030–3038 (2015).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Antfolk, M., Magnusson, C., Augustsson, P., Lilja, H. & Laurell, T. Anal. Chem. 87, 9322–9328 (2015).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Melde, K., Mark, A. G., Qiu, T. & Fischer, P. Nature 537, 518–522 (2016).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Li, S. et al. Lab Chip 14, 4475–4485 (2014).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Augustsson, P., Karlsen, J. T., Su, H.-W., Bruus, H. & Voldman, J. Nature Commun. 7, 11556 (2016).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Collins, D. J. et al. Nature Commun. 6, 8686 (2015).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Ding, X. et al. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 109, 11105–11109 (2012).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Marzo, A. et al. Nature Commun. 6, 8661 (2015).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Adrian Neild is at the Laboratory for Microsystems, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia.,

    Adrian Neild

Authors
  1. Adrian Neild
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Adrian Neild.

Related links

Related links

Related links in Nature Research

Optics: Nanotube holograms

Optomechanics: Listening to quantum grains of sound

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Neild, A. Motion controlled by sound. Nature 537, 493–494 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/537493a

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/537493a

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing