Australian Physicists Build Reversible Tractor Beam

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Australian Physicists Build Reversible Tractor Beam

Posted by Soulskill on Monday October 20, 2014 @07:33PM from the take-that-wesley dept.

An anonymous reader writes: Physicists at Australian National University have developed a tiny tractor beam that improves in several ways upon previous attempts. First, it operates on scales which, while still tiny, are higher than in earlier experiments. The beam can move particles up to 200 microns in diameter, and it can do so over a distance of 20 cm. "Unlike previous techniques, which used photon momentum to impart motion, the ANU tractor beam relies on the energy of the laser heating up the particles and the air around them (abstract). The ANU team demonstrated the effect on gold-coated hollow glass particles. The particles are trapped in the dark center of the beam. Energy from the laser hits the particle and travels across its surface, where it is absorbed creating hotspots on the surface. Air particles colliding with the hotspots heat up and shoot away from the surface, which causes the particle to recoil, in the opposite direction. To manipulate the particle, the team move the position of the hotspot by carefully controlling the polarization of the laser beam."

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Still a long way to go ... by pollarda · 2014-10-20 19:43 · Score: 5, Funny

There is still a long way to go before we can use it to move a Ferenghi vessel or to fight off the Borg. We ought to make this a national priority. If you think the Ebola thing is scary, the Borg makes viruses look like sheer child's play.
1. Re:Still a long way to go ... by sg_oneill · 2014-10-20 19:52 · Score: 5, Informative
  
  Eh, the original Enterprise NX01 did pretty well for itself just using a good old fashion grappling hook. Plus slamming your foe with a grappling hook makes for bad-ass space fights.
  
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2. Re:Still a long way to go ... by Livius · 2014-10-20 23:17 · Score: 1
  
  But which is better from 100 000 km away in poor lighting?
3. Re:Still a long way to go ... by Anonymous Coward · 2014-10-20 23:30 · Score: 1
  
  " the Borg makes viruses look like sheer child's play."
  Um, you realize Star Trek is FICTION, right?
4. Re:Still a long way to go ... by confused+one · 2014-10-21 00:14 · Score: 1
  
  You need improved lighting, you say? I have this light generating device, a photon torpedo.
5. Re:Still a long way to go ... by dywolf · 2014-10-21 01:07 · Score: 1
  
  I was going to say "mount the controls above a yawning chasm inside an artificial moon, yet within walking distance of the hangar bay". Yours works too though.
  
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6. Re:Still a long way to go ... by alex67500 · 2014-10-21 01:10 · Score: 2
  
  Whooosh ?
7. Re:Still a long way to go ... by Livius · 2014-10-21 06:06 · Score: 1
  
  Now get it to the right place.
8. Re:Still a long way to go ... by davester666 · 2014-10-21 06:07 · Score: 1
  
  ...always seemed like a ridiculous method to deliver a flashlight to someone you don't like.
  
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9. Re:Still a long way to go ... by tehcyder · 2014-10-22 00:03 · Score: 1
  
  " the Borg makes viruses look like sheer child's play."
  Um, you realize Star Trek is FICTION, right?
  In space,no one can hear you whoosh.
  
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Almost a microwave by SeaFox · 2014-10-20 20:11 · Score: 4, Funny

...the ANU tractor beam relies on the energy of the laser heating up the particles and the air around them.
Oh, boy. It cooks you as it moves you.
Sounds like a great formula for a space rotisserie.
1. Re:Almost a microwave by Noble713 · 2014-10-20 20:39 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  Except it won't work in space. Per TFS, this device superheats air particles to push the object in the opposite direction. If your object is in the vacuum of space and therefore has no neighboring air to superheat, it's kinda useless....
2. Re:Almost a microwave by StripedCow · 2014-10-21 00:28 · Score: 1
  
  While you evaporate, there's a moment when you're surrounded by your own gas molecules, which can be used to push you forward, I suppose.
  
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Re:G'day mate!!!!!!!!! by mjwx · 2014-10-20 20:27 · Score: 3, Insightful

All the better to keep the ugly sheelas away with eh? Chuck another shrimp on the barbee skip!!!
Bugger me, another flaming mongrel is trying to speak 'strayan but using shrimp instead of prawn...

Get the tractor beam warmed up Bazza. I'll move the Camira so we can get to the Torana so we can get the Commo out of the shed. I'm pissed as buggery now.

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So... useless in space then.... by Anonymous Coward · 2014-10-20 21:26 · Score: 3, Insightful

"Unlike previous techniques, which used photon momentum to impart motion, the ANU tractor beam relies on the energy of the laser heating up the particles and the air around them
Need I say more?
1. Re:So... useless in space then.... by Anonymous Coward · 2014-10-20 23:42 · Score: 1
  
  20cm range, heats while travelling. A dream for the instant food eating couchpotato.
  Might be useless in space, but we have a whole planet full of people where it might still be usefull (or become so with more development). spacenutters are so narrowminded.
Pusher beam, not reversible tractor beam by BitZtream · 2014-10-20 23:53 · Score: 3, Informative

Lets learn to speak the language, shall we?
Tractor's pull. A tractor beam would pull. This pushes. It can't pull. This means its not a reversible tractor beam, which would mean it can pull and be reversed to push ... it can only push.
Its a pusher beam, and it only works in a fluid, on objects with tiny amounts of mass that can stand to be roasted into oblivion in order to move them less than distance of a reasonable sized dictionary.

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1. Re:Pusher beam, not reversible tractor beam by confused+one · 2014-10-21 00:20 · Score: 1
  
  Tractor is a machine, a traction engine, used to produce tractive force to move objects. -- it is not specifically limited to pulling.
2. Re:Pusher beam, not reversible tractor beam by Oligonicella · 2014-10-21 01:03 · Score: 1
  
  The semantics are still screwed up as the laser does no pushing or pulling itself but simply heats up the little, tiny gold sphere. It's pretty tenuous to say that the machine generating the light being converted to surface temperature heating the air which bounces off the surface is providing traction.
3. Re:Pusher beam, not reversible tractor beam by stealth_finger · 2014-10-21 01:49 · Score: 1
  
  Lets learn to speak the language, shall we?
  Tractor's pull. A tractor beam would pull. This pushes. It can't pull. This means its not a reversible tractor beam, which would mean it can pull and be reversed to push ... it can only push.
  Its a pusher beam, and it only works in a fluid, on objects with tiny amounts of mass that can stand to be roasted into oblivion in order to move them less than distance of a reasonable sized dictionary.
  Did you read more than the headline?
  
  Actually, never mind. Stupid question.
  
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4. Re:Pusher beam, not reversible tractor beam by _anomaly_ · 2014-10-21 02:10 · Score: 2
  
  Lets learn to speak the language, shall we?
  OK...
  
  Tractor's pull.
  That apostrophe shouldn't be there.
  
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5. Re:Pusher beam, not reversible tractor beam by nblender · 2014-10-21 02:29 · Score: 1
  
  So then it's a Retractor-beam.
6. Re:Pusher beam, not reversible tractor beam by meerling · 2014-10-21 06:22 · Score: 1
  
  Actually Pressor or Presser Beam is the standard sci-fi name for that, and has been for a very long time now.
  (I've usually seen the 1st spelling, though the second is used sometimes.)
7. Re:Pusher beam, not reversible tractor beam by TheCarp · 2014-10-21 06:26 · Score: 1
  
  Hmmm I don't understand why the distinction matters or why "tractor beam" needs to mean something so specific. At a very high level the overall effect is "I turn on the beam, and this object is moved towards me"
  As long as the manipulated object is manipulated by the beam and is passive in its interaction (that is it is not appreciably changed and contributes no energy of its own that was not imparted by the beam), then "tractor beam" seems just fine to me.
  whether it is some sort of attractive force or slightly heating the object asymmetrically to produce a force due to air is just implementation details and doesn't change the overall function.
  
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  "I opened my eyes, and everything went dark again"
Australian Physicists Build Reversible Tractor Bea by Charliemopps · 2014-10-21 00:16 · Score: 1

Australian Physicists Build Reversible Tractor Beam
No they didn't. Not even remotely.

the ANU tractor beam relies on the energy of the laser heating up the particles and the air around them
Re:Australian Physicists Build Reversible Tractor by Anonymous Coward · 2014-10-21 00:54 · Score: 1

Australian Physicists Build Reversible Tractor Beam
No they didn't. Not even remotely.

the ANU tractor beam relies on the energy of the laser heating up the particles and the air around them
Exactly. If I built a system that deployed a wheeled robot controlled by RF signals to drive over to something and push it toward me, that would be as much of a "tractor beam" as this is.
Reverse the polarity of the emitters! by MachineShedFred · 2014-10-21 01:20 · Score: 1

To manipulate the particle, the team move the position of the hotspot by carefully controlling the polarization of the laser beam."
And you all thought that the Star Trek writers were just spouting nonsense...

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1. Re:Reverse the polarity of the emitters! by gstoddart · 2014-10-21 02:36 · Score: 1
  
  And you all thought that the Star Trek writers were just spouting nonsense...
  In fairness, they were ... and they knew it.
  Throw out enough techno-babble, and sooner or later you might be right just by accident. :-P
  
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Re:Australian Physicists Build Reversible Tractor by stealth_finger · 2014-10-21 01:54 · Score: 1

Australian Physicists Build Reversible Tractor Beam
No they didn't. Not even remotely.

the ANU tractor beam relies on the energy of the laser heating up the particles and the air around them
Exactly. If I built a system that deployed a wheeled robot controlled by RF signals to drive over to something and push it toward me, that would be as much of a "tractor beam" as this is.
If you did it without the robot and only used the rf beam in some way sure. This may not be a true tractor beam but at least it is a beam and it does tract. So your remote controlled fetchbot is just that. Did they say in Star Trek "use the tractor beam" to which some red shirt gets in a shuttle to get whatever they wanted?

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"Reversible Tractor Beam"? by ArcadeMan · 2014-10-21 03:47 · Score: 1

It's called a Repulsor Beam, you nimwits.

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1. Re:"Reversible Tractor Beam"? by ArcadeMan · 2014-10-21 07:23 · Score: 1
  
  At least it's better than my raincoat!
  
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Re:G'day mate!!!!!!!!! by Zaldarr · 2014-10-21 14:49 · Score: 1

This is utter drivel, and I say it as Australian. It adds nothing to the conversation and tried too hard to be funny. Can someone down-mod this comment so it's not the second in this thread?

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Does this mean... by JasonGoatcher · 2014-10-21 20:29 · Score: 1

We'll have a Moore's Law type thing for tractor beams soon? :)
Tractor by DarthVain · 2014-10-22 03:30 · Score: 1

Considering the Beam is limited to 20cm right now, my money is on grappling hooks...
Then again, if looking for space battle damage, firing an actual Tractor at the target might be more effective.
1. Re:Tractor by RandomAdam · 2014-10-22 12:24 · Score: 1
  
  Firing a "beam" of tractors would rip through most targets
  
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