Wild ‘Waterbending’ Technique Uses Waves to Steer Floating Objects With Precision

Imagine hopping onto a large floatie in a lake or pool, and then trying to move. We’ve all been there—without paddling limbs, wind-catching sails, or a propelling engine, you’re stuck. But what if we could make the water itself move you? An international team of researchers has developed a technique to manipulate water and move floating objects with a level of precision that seems right out of a sci-fi movie. Beyond its inherent cool factor, this research could have practical applications, ranging from molecular experiments to the maneuvering of boats across large bodies of water. The water manipulation technique is driven by waves. After studying computer simulations, the team used 3D-printed plastic structures to generate different kinds of waves in a water tank. One of the structures was a ring with 24 tubes connected to speakers, which produced low-pitched humming sounds that created ripples in the water within the ring. By playing with the magnitude and frequency of the waves p ... Read full article.