By Trent Moore, source: Blastr.com
Seeing as he’s a man of little violence, the Doctor’s trusty sonic screwdriver has been his tool of choice on the BBC series for decades. Now, it seems scientists have actually created a real one.
Researchers at the Dundee University have built a device that can lift and rotate a rubber disc floating in a cylinder of water via ultrasound. According to BBC News, it’s the first time ultrasound waves have been used to turn objects as opposed to push them.
In layman’s terms: It’s a real sonic screwdriver.
Though the prototype doesn’t have the do-it-all capabilities of The Doctor’s screwdriver yet, scientists say the tech could improve ultrasound medical techniques, and potentially treat conditions with less invasive methods. That’s all well and good, but we’re looking more for the ability to open any door and tweak any piece of alien technology. Maybe that’s phase two for R&D?
“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,” Institute for Medical Science and Technology Dr. Mike MacDonald said. “Like Doctor Who’s own device, our sonic screwdriver is capable of much more than just spinning things around.”
