Moving objects in diverse media through wave momentum manipulation

In this paper, we experimentally demonstrate the ability to move an object in disordered and dynamic media by using acoustic waves for transferring linear or angular momentum to the object. In contrast to the remarkable results that have been achieved in optical or acoustical tweezers, our approach overcomes the strict requirements for the environment, such as a tightly controlled environment with minimal reverberation and static conditions. Furthermore, we demonstrate that knowledge of the physical attributes of objects or the composition of the surrounding medium is not needed. Instead, we acquire scattering information and the position of the object to adjust the incident wavefronts iteratively as it moves, and operate only from the far field. Finally, we demonstrate the method’s robustness to substantial alterations in the scattering medium.