Sci-fi screwdriver being developed
9 Dec 2010 by Evoluted New Media
Somewhere on children’s Christmas list this year there’s bound to be Doctor Who’s famous cure-all gadget – the sonic screwdriver – and scientists are working to create a real-life version which can open locks and undo screws with sonic technology.
Somewhere on children’s Christmas list this year there’s bound to be Doctor Who’s famous cure-all gadget – the sonic screwdriver – and scientists are working to create a real-life version which can open locks and undo screws with sonic technology.
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Scientists are developing a real life sonic screwdriver Credit: Maggie Osterberg/Flickr |
Ultrasonic engineers from the University of Bristol and The Big Bang: UK Young Scientists and Engineers Fair are hoping to figure out how a real life version of the fictional screwdriver could become a reality.
“Doctor Who is renowned for bending the rules of science. But technology has radically moved on since the Doc first stepped out of his Tardis in the sixties” said Bruce Drinkwater, a professor of ultrasonics, “Whilst a fully functioning time machine may still be light years away, engineers are already experimenting with ultrasonic waves to move and manipulate small objects,”
Drinkwater believes the key to the sonic screwdriver lies in ultrasonic sound waves: by operating waves at frequencies beyond the realms of human hearing, they can be used to apply forces to objects. The technology is being trialled in modern manufacturing to fix parts together and ultrasonic force fields are being developed within the medical field to separate diseased cells from health cells.
Drinkwater and his colleagues are now testing whether super powerful versions of these beams could bring the iconic sonic screwdriver to life. Engineers are investigating how ultrasonic waves can be spun at high speeds to create a twisting force – like a tornado – to undo screws remotely.
“Doctor Who’s adventures have captured the imagination of millions, young and old. And however farfetched the Time Lord’s encounters may seem, there are engineers and scientists out there who are using their skills to bring the magic to life,” said Drinkwater, “The screwdriver may still be sometime in the making, but ultrasonic technology is already making its mark in the medical and manufacturing arenas with some exciting results.”
