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LEVITATE OBJECTS IN MID-AIR WITH SOUND

A field of 72 ultrasonic transducers builds a standing wave that floats tiny objects in thin air — steer them with a joystick.

by vindar

FULL CAD BOM FIRMWARE DOCS

PhysicsElectronics

Built withTeensy3D printing

difficulty
●●●●○
time
a weekend or two
license
GPL-3.0
repo
repo STABLE5 stars

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

1
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COMPAREE VERDICT

Acoustic levitation feels like magic the first time you see it — a small object hanging in mid-air, held by nothing but sound. Teensylev floats tiny objects in a standing wave created by a field of 72 ultrasonic transducers, and it adds a lovely touch: a small TFT screen and joystick to actually move the levitated object around. It's a refined take on Asier Marzo's famous TinyLev, and it's genuinely buildable — Teensy firmware, printable parts, a schematic and a BOM are all provided. It's inexpensive and approachable for an intermediate maker. Just mind the two mild hazards: prolonged ultrasound exposure and the step-up supply driving the transducer array. A brilliant, affordable science-demo build.

GOOD TO KNOW

  • —A buildable DIY project: Teensy firmware, printable STL parts, a schematic and a BOM
  • —It's a refined variant of Asier Marzo's well-known TinyLev acoustic levitator
  • —Steered with a small TFT display and a joystick
  • —Uses ultrasound and a step-up supply for the transducer array

Parts to buy

5 items

From our check of the build. Exact quantities and part numbers are in the creator’s BOM.

  • 72 ultrasonic transducersFind
  • Teensy 3.2Find
  • Step-up moduleFind
  • Motor driverFind
  • Mini TFT + joystickFind

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Can I build this?

Printthe transducer array housing (STL provided)
Buy72 ultrasonic transducers, a Teensy 3.2, a step-up module, a motor driver, a mini TFT + joystick
Tools3D printer, soldering iron, patience wiring the array
Skillsintermediate electronics; the firmware and schematic are provided
Timea weekend or two
Costband $ — inexpensive parts; full parts list in the README
Safetyultrasound (limit prolonged exposure) and a step-up supply for the transducer array

Build at your own risk. Projects involve tools, electronics and sometimes mains voltage — follow the creator’s safety notes.

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Gallery

The assembled levitatorvindar
Device detailvindar
The transducer arrayvindar
Controls and wiringvindar

Start here

Navigation into the creator’s own docs — we don’t rewrite the guide, we route you to the source.

  1. 1.Read the base design (Marzo's TinyLev — the foundation)
  2. 2.Get the files (firmware, STL, schematic, BOM)
  3. 3.Print and wire the array (72 transducers)
  4. 4.Flash the Teensy (TFT + joystick control)

Resources

Documentation, files and community threads for this build — we link straight to the original sources and never rehost the creator’s files.

KNOWN ISSUES

  • It's a refined variant of Marzo's TinyLev — read that base design too
  • Limit prolonged ultrasound exposure, and take care with the step-up supply driving the array
  • Wiring 72 transducers takes patience — get the phasing right or nothing levitates

What can it levitate?

Small, light objects — polystyrene beads, tiny droplets — held at the nodes of a standing ultrasonic wave from the 72-transducer field.

Can I move the object?

Yes — a mini TFT display with a joystick lets you steer the levitated object, which is the fun upgrade over a static levitator.

Is it based on something?

Yes — it's a refined variant of Asier Marzo's well-known TinyLev acoustic levitator, with Teensy firmware and joystick control.

What does it cost?

Band $ — inexpensive parts. The README has the full parts list (no prices), so check current prices with your usual supplier.

Community builds

No community builds yet — be the first, we feature the best ones.

Discussion1

FROM THE COMPAREE TEAM

Hand-soldering 72 ultrasonic transducers where one phase mistake means nothing levitates — what's your strategy for surviving a wiring job like that?

CompareeTEAM2mo agoedited

Correction (4 October 2026): we re-checked this page line by line against the project's own repository, documentation and videos, and fixed errors in earlier versions.

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vindar

Refined Asier Marzo's TinyLev acoustic levitator into Teensylev — adding a TFT-and-joystick control to steer the levitated object — and published the firmware, STL, schematic and BOM.

GitHub

Star the project on GitHub

DISCLAIMER

  • Comparee is not the author of the projects featured here. All rights to each project belong to its creator — every page links to the original source, and we never host creators’ files.
  • Information is provided without warranty and may become outdated as projects evolve. Prices are indicative bands only — always check the creator’s parts list for current costs.
  • Building and operating any project is at your own responsibility. Protective equipment, safe workshop practice and compliance with local regulations are the builder’s responsibility.
GitHub repo