A levitation device based on the use of several ceramic magnets has been developed to demonstrate that levitation can be achieved using a single thread to vertically secure a levitated magnetic device from below while the levitated magnetic device is also being supported from below using the mutual repulsion of opposing magnetic fields.

It is simple to achieve levitation using a single thread to secure a levitated magnetic device from below while it is also being supported from above using another magnet of opposite polarity. However, using a single thread to vertically secure a levitated magnetic device from below while the levitated magnetic device is also being supported from below requires the levitated device to be located in a uniform magnetic field of opposing polarity. In the design presented below the bottom-mounted thread is used to "pull" the levitated upper magnet into the potential well of the support magnetic field located below. If the levitated magnetic device drifts into the negative curvature portion of the support magnetic field the levitated magnetic device will tip over and become unstable. The split design of the support magnetic field device provides a larger potential well for the levitated magnetic device resulting in greater overall stability.

To assure the levitated magnetic device is located in the potential well of the support magnetic field a mechanism to position the thread support-point relative to the center of the split support magnets is illustrated below. The upper Plexiglas plate is positioned and secured using two cap screws until the levitated magnetic device is centered and stable. In this configuration the levitated magnetic device is stable and will not crash even while carrying the system from place to place.

Levitation without the physical constraint of a bottom-mounted thread is possible if the levitated magnetic device is allowed to rotate like a top and if the proper amount of ballast or weight is added. The precession or gyroscopic action of the spinning magnetic device provides sufficient flipping resistance (torque) to prevent the top from overturning and aligning north to south with the base magnet. Also, the ballast acts to push the top into the potential well of the support magnet where the magnetic lines of force are optimum. As an example of this technology the Levitron Anti-Gravity Top achieves levitation without external constraint by using gyroscopic precession to counter the torque engendered by opposing magnetic fields and weight adjustments for optimum vertical top placement within the support magnetic field. However, gyroscopic levitation is a challenge to achieve and difficult to maintain because of temperature related effects on magnetic field strength. A totally new product called the Levitron Anti-Gravity Globe overcomes the Earnshaw theorem constraint problem by using an electronically controlled electromagnet to properly position the levitated object within the support magnetic field but time varying magnetic fields not static magnetic fields are used to achieve levitation. The electronic kit provided by this link shows how levitation is achieved using a linear Hall effect sensor combined with an electromagnet to levitate a very small device containing one or more rare earth magnets. However, this article admits the technology is not scalable to larger sizes.

The object of this work is to remove as many constraints (degrees of freedom) as possible from the levitating magnetic device without violating Earnshaw's theorem. Earnshaw's theorem states that no static arrangements of magnetic or electric charges can be stable, alone or under gravity. More information on the use of static magnetic fields to achieve levitation using a minimum number of constraints will be posted here as work continues...