Artificial buoyancy method and apparatus

Abstract

Lifting devices are described that provide aeronautical lift by either pushing air sideways off its top surface, or by pulling away from top surface air, without changing upward air pressure on its bottom surface. In a first implementation, a pyramid shaped structure is composed of a stack of thin sections whose dimensions are rapidly extended and retracted using ultrasonic movements. Top surface air is pushed sideways when extended followed by momentary low pressure when retracted, thus providing lift. In a second implementation, a rapidly rotating lifting device is composed of a stack of thin round teethed plates, resembling circular saw blades, in which the diameter of each upper plate is slightly smaller than each lower plate. This device also creates lift as teeth push air sideways and gaps between teeth create momentary low pressure. In a third implementation, a lifting device top surface contains an array of MicroElectroMechanical Systems (MEMS) devices, such as Capacitive Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducers (CMUTs), which momentary produce lift by their upper pointing membranes rapidly pulling away from lifting device top surface air when oscillating at high frequency.