Doctor Who’s sonic screwdriver

For all those fans of Doctor Who’s who have dreamed of owning a sonic screwdriver of their own after watching their hero use the tool to get himself out of many sticky situations , there’s a reason to celebrate .

British engineers have developed a device that is capable of moving and manipulating objects using only ultrasonic sound waves .

They said that the technology could eventually lead to devices that can undo screws , assemble electronics and putting together delicate components .

But while the Doctor’s device can perform a multitude of tasks from cutting , burning , welding , sending signals , controlling the TARDIS , altering mobile phones and healing wounds , the researchers warn their real-life sonic screwdriver will have more limited capabilities .

“We have developed a device that allows us to use ultrasonic forces to move small objects like biological cells around to sort them or to assemble them ,” the Telegraph quoted Bruce Drinkwater , of the University of Bristol , as saying .

“We are using low forces to do this as we don’t want to damage the objects we are moving , but the technology is definitely real and there is potential to turn it into something like Dr Who’s sonic screwdriver .

“If we can increase the ultrasonic force and create a rotational force , then we could potentially undo screws . Essentially what you are doing is using the ultrasonic sound wave to twirl the air around to create an miniature tornado ,” he said .

Drinkwater and his colleagues have created a prototype device , which they have called sonotweezers , that uses ultrasound to move around particular sizes of cells.

Via Times of India