“It’s similar to the tractor beam you see in Star Trek, although not nearly as powerful.” First, Schaub and his colleagues must solve a series of challenges, which they’ve described in numerous recent ...

The tractor beams don't have to be on the same surface as the cells to work effectively, either. The integrated optical phased array (IOPA), as it's called, can trap cells from afar.

In 2015, researchers made (acoustic) waves when they created the first single-direction sonic tractor beam. Now, the same scientists have developed the invention’s design, simplifying it to let ...

A proper tractor beam, say scientists, must be able to rotate objects as well as move them. Just a beginning. The researchers describe in the journal Science how they extended the principles of ...

Microscope “tractor beams,” known to scientists as optical tweezers, come in either bulky, expensive setups or smaller, ...

Real life Star Trek tractor beam developed - but it won't be dragging space ships any time soon. Researchers have so far managed to move microscopic spheres of silica suspended in water over ...

A real-life miniature version of the "tractor beam" featured in the Star Trek series has been created by a team of scientists which could be used in medical testing. Although light manipulation ...

Powerful, carefully controlled sound waves could be used to control objects without having to touch them at all–even inside the human body. This video shows a real live tractor beam in action ...

Australian researchers have developed a Star Trek-style tractor beam that uses laser to move objects - an achievement described as a 'holy grail' News. Olivia Solon. 14:34, ...

Using what they call tractor beams - rays of energy that can move objects - they have managed to move tiny particles up to 59 inches from one place to another. Breakthrough: ...