Could The Doctor's Sonic Screwdriver ever exist? Fact or Fictional is on the case.

Scientists at the University of Dundee have developed what they're calling a real-life version of the Sonic Screwdriver from Doctor Who, capable of using an ultrasound beam to lift and spin a free-floating rubber disc.

The vortex beam has a double-helix shape, which generates angular moment and can exert torque on a target object, causing it to rotate. The beam may have future medical applications, including as a tool for non-invasive surgery.

"The 'sonic screwdriver' device is also part of the EU-funded Nanoporation project where we are already starting to push the boundaries of what ultrasound can do in terms of targeted drug delivery and targeted cellular surgery," said Dundee's Dr. Mike MacDonald.

"Like Doctor Who's own device, our sonic screwdriver is capable of much more than just spinning things around."

[themarysue / dundee]