Electronic Levitron...How the heck does this thing work?

[Pirate88179]

That has to mean that most of the levitation is done by the PMs and the coils modulate the field of the PMs. I think.  That's the only way a small current (low heating) can possibly lift that much mass. I think.

But they can't reverse the polarity of the pm's that way can they?

Bill

[TinselKoala]

But they can't reverse the polarity of the pm's that way can they?

Bill

Well, do they have to? Say you have two oppositely oriented PMs, both being modulated in strength by their coils. You can weaken the N pole facing one and strengthen the S polar facing one...

Also the field from a big ring magnet can do funny things near the "hole in the donut".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUihboGkJnE

[Pirate88179]

Well, do they have to? Say you have two oppositely oriented PMs, both being modulated in strength by their coils. You can weaken the N pole facing one and strengthen the S polar facing one...

Also the field from a big ring magnet can do funny things near the "hole in the donut".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUihboGkJnE

Could those mags be stacked then?  If so, this might indeed be how the do it.  Increase the north on one, increase the S on the other.  If they are stacked with opposite poles facing each other (as they would really want to do on their own) then this would seem to work great!  Like you said, the main lifting "power" is handled by the neos (If that is what is used) and hover is achieved and maintained by adjusting the coils like you said.

This is brilliant!  Also, like you said, a lot less power input required=less heat...also brilliant!  I just thought that base was large enough for a computer fan and that was how they did it.

I do believe that you have this device wired, as they say.  Nice work.  This never occurred to me at all.

Bill

PS  I don't think you have to weaken the field on either of the mags, just boost the pole you need on the appropriate mag. at the right time. This way, since you are only boosting the S on the S facing mag, and vise versa, the mags will not get weaker over time...they might actually increase over time.  So now, in this scenario, we are not talking about pole reversal, we are just talking about switching between magnets, which I believe your circuit will also do nicely.

[Nink]

I re watched the video and I think I was wrong it looks like they are using and optic sensor. You can see the hole in the  botttom of the pillow and in the center of the table.   

[Lakes]

If (when) tk get a working (reverse engineered) model and puts a youtube video up, I would expect quite a few (hundred?, thousand??) views of that.
Full construction details also supplied of course.
Then wait for all the replication videos.