University of Dundee creates real-life Sonic Screwdriver

Jason Thibeault

Hat tip to my real-life pal ReformedYankee. Fizzicists at the University of Dundee took their Doctor Who fandom to awesome extremes, by building a real-life sonic screwdriver.

Well, sort of.

While the Doctor would balk at this disc-spinning ultrasound-based physics toy being called a “screwdriver”, it’s certainly a pretty big step forward in our ability to control ultrasound.

“This experiment not only confirms a fundamental physics theory but also demonstrates a new level of control over ultrasound beams which can also be applied to non-invasive ultrasound surgery, targeted drug delivery and ultrasonic manipulation of cells,” said Dr Mike MacDonald, of the Institute for Medical Science and Technology (IMSAT) at Dundee.

Call this Sonic Screwdriver v0.01 beta, I guess. At least this iteration could probably also rotate a disc made of wood.

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University of Dundee creates real-life Sonic Screwdriver

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