If you had to name two futuristic inventions that can be found today would probably maglevs lasers and these vehicles almost magically levitating through the effect of magnetism and get impressive speeds.
Aoyama Gakuin University in Japan have united both concepts to give a curious invention: a magnet that levitates on a metal surface and moves chasing a point of light.
The metal surface comprises a matrix of small magnets. The material on the surface coat is composed of graphite and what they do is to illuminate a point just at its edge. This point of light modifies the temperature of graphite piece enough to change the magnetic behavior of the area, the graphite is unbalanced at that point and move in that direction.
It may seem just a game having fun with these scientists in their spare time, but in practice could lead to quite interesting inventions. Maglev vehicles could be designed which would lead to a point of laser light, either manually or through an automated driving system to draw the light path has to trace the vehicle.
Another could be the most revolutionary inventions, there is the possibility of creating generators whose turbines were activated simply using spotlights.
