Levitated particles as the heart of miniaturized sensing technologies

2026-07-22

The phrase “no moving parts” is misleading; mechanical oscillators are the beating heart of modern technology. Whether it’s the vibration of quartz crystals setting the pace of computation, or surface acoustic wave devices amplifying signals in smartphones, mechanical oscillators are truly ubiquitous. Micro-Electromechanical Systems, or MEMS devices, dominate research into mechanical devices with technological applications. Due to their ability to be mass fabricated, they have found applications as sensors in industries ranging from healthcare to VR gaming. Their sensing performance is ultimately limited by the energy they dissipate during operation, a problem which gets worse with decreasing size. LeviTech proposes a non-obvious and inventive solution: levitation of the mechanical oscillator. By physically untethering from the environment, most energy dissipation pathways are closed, leading to ultra low-dissipation in what we term L-MEMS devices. To lay the groundwork for technological exploitation, LeviTech outlines a programme of miniaturization of both optical and electrical trapping technologies, to an intermediate state suitable for state-of-the-art sensing, generation of IP, commercial collaboration, and potential prototyping. LeviTech will deliver immediate technological application via beyond state-of-the-art pressure sensing, using a highly inventive technique whereby non-linear L-MEMS yields zero-dissipation sensing.

United Kingdom (UK)

2026-03-01