2026
Performance Evaluation of Ultrasonic Sparse Array Networks – Implications for Robotic Inspection of Large Areas (co authors Anthony Croxford, Xudong Niu and Michael Todd), Keynote talk at ECNDT26, Verona, Italy, 18/6/2026
Acoustic tweezers and their applications, Invited Measurement, Devices and Materials Cluster talk , University of Warwick, 28/5/26.
Optimal acoustic trapping of large and complex objects, Keynote talk at 2026 Micro-Acoustics and Noise Symposium, University of Northumbria, Newcastle, 22/5/26.
Advances in acoustic manipulation and future directions, Invited talk, ASPIRE Workshop, Ultrasonics exchange, University of Tsukuba, Japan, 27/3/26
Acoustic tractor beams – from science fiction to biomedical applications, IET Talk, University of Bristol, Bristol, 11/3/26.
2025
What can ultrasonic imaging tell us about the world?, Plenary talk at the Inaugural Research Conference, School of Engineering and the Built Environment Research Conference, Anglia Ruskin University, Chelmsford, 5/7/2025.
Not all devices are equal – steps towards the optimisation of acoustic radiation force micromanipulators, Invited talk at Microacoustics and Microsensors Symposium 2025, UK Microsystems Network, Dyson Institute of Engineering and Technology, Malmesbury, 16/6/2025.
Acoustic tweezers and their applications, Physics Colloquium, Innsbruck Physics Research Centre, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria, 10/6/2025.
Opportunities for automated decision making in non-destructive evaluation, Workshop on requirements for regulatory, insurance and legal acceptance of automated decision-making in NDT, SHM and CM technologies, London, 13/5/2025.
2024
Acoustic beams – from tractors to artificial muscle via metasurfaces, Meet the Jury Seminar, Arenberg Doctoral School, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium, 4/10/2024.
Optical and Acoustic Manipulation: Parallels, Differences and Synergies (Co-author: Monika Ritsch-Marte, Medical University of Innsbruck), European Summer School on Physical Acoustics and its Applications, Cargèse, Corsica, France, 20/9/2024.
The past, present and future of ultrasonic array imaging with full matrix capture (FMC) and the total focusing method (TFM), Plenary lecture at FENDT2024, Zhongshan, China, 24/6/2024.
Acoustic Tractor Beams, Pint of Science, Eldon House, Bristol, 13/5/2024.
Acoustic beams – from tractors to artificial muscle via metasurfaces, Dugald Cameron Lecture, Centre for Medical and Industrial Ultrasonics (C-MIU), University of Glasgow, Glasgow, 9/5/2024.
Ultrasonic inspection of pipes using mobile robotics (Co-Authors: Alex Towlson, Xiaoyu Sun, Xudong Niu, Jie Zhang, Anthony Croxford), Anglo-French Physical Acoustics Conference 2024, (AFPAC 2024), Loch Lomond, Scotland, UK, 18/1/2024.
2023
Mobile robotic deployment of ultrasonic imaging in underground pipe networks, Plenary lecture at the 33rd Annual Conference and Exhibition on Non-Destructive Evaluation and Enabling Technologies, NDE 2023, Pune, India, 7/12/2023.
Acoustic beams – from tractors to artificial muscle via metasurfaces, Warwick Physics Colloquium, University of Warwick, 25/10/2023.
Acoustical tweezing – current and future possibilities, TCESNet Summer School: Patterning Cells with Sound, Bristol Medical School, Bristol, 12/9/2023.
Are the robots coming – perspectives on the use of low-cost mobile robotics in non-destructive evaluation, Plenary lecture at the 31st ASNT Research Symposium, Greater Columbus Convention Centre, Columbus, OH, USA, 26/6/23.
Twisted sound – trapping, moving and rotating objects with acoustic vortices, Keynote lecture at UK Fluids Network: Acoustofluidics SIG, Dyson Institute of Engineering and Technology, Malmsbury, 16/6/2023.
The use of low-cost mobile robotics in non-destructive testing, Bristol Robotics Lab (BRL) Seminar , Bristol, 11/5/2023.
Dynamic patterning of microparticles with acoustic impulse control (co-authors Luke Cox and Anthony Croxford), Invited lecture at DAGA 23, 49th Annual Conference on Acoustics, Hamburg, Germany, 8/3/2023.
Seeing and feeling with ultrasound, Norwich Science Festival, Norwich School, Norwich, 13/2/2023.
Ultrasonic levitation – from cells to human beings? Bishops Cleeve U3A, Stoke Orchard Community Centre, Bishops Cleeve, 2/2/2023.
2022
Ultrasonic levitation – Faster, Higher, Stronger – Together, Keynote lecture at Acoustofluidics 2022, Mazumdar-Shaw Advanced Research Centre, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, 19/10/22
Recent advances in ultrasonic array imaging and its implications for structural integrity assessment, Plenary lecture at the International Symposium on Structural Integrity (ISSI-2022), Changsha, China (Hybrid), 15/10/2022.
A model of air-based ultrasonic mid-air haptics, 22nd International Symposium on Nonlinear Acoustics (ISNA22), St Catherine’s College, University of Oxford, Oxford, 5/5/2022.
What information can ultrasonic arrays extract from engineering structures?, Invited lecture at GdR ISIS, Signal et Imagerie Acoustique, Sorbonne Université, Paris, 21/6/2022.
Phased arrays for ultrasonic manipulation, Levitation Symposium, Diamond Light Source (Online) 25/5/2022.
Ultrasonic and acoustic sensing for buried pipe inspection with swarms of robots, Invited lecture at Endress+Hauser R&D Forum (Online) 29/4/2022.
Manipulation of matter with acoustic radiation force devices, PolyMaths Lab Seminar, Department of Engineering Maths, University of Bristol, 18/3/2022
Manipulation of matter with acoustic radiation force devices, Invited lecture at APS March Meeting, Chicago, IL, USA, Session on : Acoustic Probes of Soft Condensed Matter Systems (Online) 14/3/2022.
Ultrasonic sensors for assessment of pipe blockages, internal geometry and wall condition (Co-authors: Yicheng Yu, Alex Towlson, Xudong Niu, Jie Zhang and Kirill Horoshenkov), Invited lecture at Sensors for Water Industry Research Group, SWIG, Leakage Workshop (Online) 2/2/2022.
2021
Acoustical Tweezers – An accessible tool for applications in physics, chemistry and the life sciences, West Virginia University, USA (Online) 3/12/2021,
Acoustic Levitation, Museum of Portable Sound Conference: Sound Beyond Music (Online) 12/11/2021.
What can ultrasonic arrays tell us about cracks (or any defect)?, Plenary lecture at ESIA16, 16th International Conference on Engineering Structural Integrity Assessment (Online) 6/10/2021.
Manipulation of matter with acoustic radiation force devices, Center for Soft Matter Research (CSMR) seminar, New York University, USA (Online), 22/9/2021.
Ultrasonic and acoustic sensing for buried pipe inspection with swarms of robots, Invited lecture at RAIN Webinar series (Online), 22/4/2021.
Surfing on an ultrasonic wave – ultrasonic arrays as non-contact manipulators, 2nd Dugald Cameron Lecture (Online), Organised by the Centre for Medical and Industrial Ultrasonics, University of Glasgow, 16/3/2021.
25 years doing ultrasonics in Bristol, UNDT Group Seminar (Online), 3/3/2021.
Opportunities to engage with the FIND CDT, RCNDE Technology Transfer Event (Online), 25/1/2021.
2020
A history of ultrasonic non-destructive testing – with a focus on array technology, UNDT Group Seminar (Online), 17/12/2020.
Taking Technology forwards, Pipebots Seminar Series (Online), 3/12/2020.
Acoustic levitation and volumetric displays, Blow Your Mind Week, Physics & Astronomy Society, University College Cork (Online), 28/10/2020.
NDE Doctoral Training – Engineers for the Future, Plenary talk at The Annual BINDT Conference, NDT2020 (Online), 14/8/2020.
Defect Characterisation using ultrasonic arrays – linear and nonlinear methods, UKAN Webinar (Online), 8/7/2020.
Biomedical applications of acoustic tweezers, UKAN Webinar, Biomedical Acoustics Special Interest Group (Online), 26/6/2020.
Ultrasonic manipulation and its application across the length scales, UKAN Webinar (Online), 12/5/2020.
2019
Ultrasonic robotics – particle manipulation across the length scales, Invited lecture at 3rd SFB Meeting on Tomography Across the Scales, Obergurgl University Centre, Innsbruck University, Austria, 3/12/2019.
Invisible robotics – ultrasonic particle manipulation across the length scales, Physics Colloquium, University of Bristol, Bristol, 18/11/2019.
Parallels between optical tweezing and acoustic tweezing, Invited lecture at Rank Prize Fund Meeting, Parallels between acoustics and EM radiation in structured materials, Grasmere, 29/10/2019.
The power of design simplicity – exploring new applications for bulk wave acoustic manipulation devices, Keynote lecture at UK Fluids Network 9th Acoustofluidics SIG, Cardiff University, Cardiff, 16/10/2019.
Acoustic manipulation using in-plane devices – progress towards patterning and mechanophenotyping (Co-author: Glauber Silva), Acoustofluidics 2019, University of Twente, Enschede, Netherlands, 27/8/2019.
Defect Characterisation using ultrasonic arrays – fundamental limitations and future possibilities, Plenary Lecture at 46th Annual Review of Progress on Quantitative Non-Destructive Evaluation (QNDE), Portland OR, USA, 15/7/2019.
Holographic Acoustic Tweezers, UK Fluids Network and UK Acoustic Network’s Acoustofluidics Forum and Olympics 2019, Bristol, UK, 26/6/2019.
Detection and characterisation of defects in highly scattering materials using ultrasonic arrays (Co-authors: Long Bai and Alexander Velichko), Ambassadors Chair Closing Symposium – Advances in Ultrasound Based Imaging for Non-Destructive Testing and Medical Applications, KU Leuven, Kulak Kortrijk Campus, Kortrijk, Belgium, 13/6/2019.
Non-linear ultrasonic imaging for non-destructive testing, Ambassadors Chair Seminar IV, KU Leuven Bruges Campus, Bruges, Belgium, 12/6/2019.
Defect characterisation using ultrasonic arrays, Ambassadors Chair Seminar III, KU Leuven, Kulak Kortrijk Campus, Kortrijk, Belgium, 4/6/2019.
High resolution ultrasonic imaging for non-destructive testing, Ambassadors Chair Seminar II, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium, 3/6/2019.
Ultrasonic particle manipulation, Ambassadors Chair Seminar I, KU Leuven, Bruges Campus, Bruges, Belgium, 17/5/2019.
Ultrasonic beams: a journey from industrial non-destructive testing to the science of tractor beams, Ambassadors Chair Plenary Lecture, KU Leuven, Kulak Kortrijk Campus, Kortrijk, Belgium, 16/5/2019.
Advances in ultrasonic imaging for non-destructive testing, Keynote lecture at ESIA15-ISSI2019, Cambridge, UK, 9/5/2019.
Ultrasonic particle manipulation and its application across the length scales,
Imperial College, London, 2/5/2019.
Dynamic particle manipulation, Keynote at UK Fluids Network’s 6th Acoustofluidics SIG, Glasgow, 14/3/2019.
2018
Applications of Ultrasound and how to make an Ultrasound Levitator – a lecture demonstration, UCL Science Centre Lectures, London, 23/11/2018.
How to make an acoustic levitation machine, FUTURES Public Talk, We The Curious, Bristol, UK, 28/9/2018.
Accurate non-destructive defect characterisation using ultrasonic measurements, Measurements Lecture 2018, 13th International Conference on Experimental Mechanics, Southampton, UK, 30/8/2018.
Design, manufacture and application of digital space-coiling metamaterials, European Workshop on Acoustic & Mechanical Metamaterials, London, UK, 10/7/18.
Ultrasonic particle manipulation with multi-transducer arrays, Invited lecture at Ringberg Symposium 2018 – Detection and actuation at the nano- and microscales in fluids, Tegernsee, Germany, 12/5/2018
Hidden links between array imaging and tractor beams, Invited lecture at BINDT Aerospace Event, Filton, UK, 12/4/2018
How to make an acoustic levitator, DTU, Denmark, 22/3/2018
Improving the ability to characterise defects and the impact on structural integrity, Invited lecture at IMechE Conference on Structural Integrity Design and Validation Technologies, Manchester, UK, 27/2/2018
Acoustic levitation – from cells to human beings? Portsmouth and District Physical Society/Institute of Physics, Portsmouth, UK, 15/2/2018
Realising digital acoustic metamaterials, DENORMS workshop on Dedicated manufacturing and experimental techniques for acoustic metamaterials and acoustic treatments, Leuven, Belgium, 7/2/2018
2017
3D print your own sonic tractor beam, Pint of Science Students Union, Bristol, UK, 18/9/2017
3D Print Your Own Sonic Tractor Beam, Pint of Science Festival, Bristol, UK, 17/5/2017
Phased Array Ultrasonics, Invited lecture at IMechE Conference NDT2017, Sheffield, UK, 21/3/2017
Acoustic Levitation: from cells to human beings, Bath Royal Literary and Science Institution, Bath, UK, 28/1/2017
Ultrasonic tractor beams and tweezers, Engineering Nonlinearity 4th Half-Yearly Meeting, Bristol, 9/1/2017
2016
Ultrasonic manipulation – tweezers and tractor beams, Loughborough University, UK, 13/12/2016
Ultrasonic levitation and manipulation, President’s Honour Lecture, BINDT Annual NDT Conference, Telford, UK, 13/11/2016
Applications of Ultrasound and how to make an Ultrasound Levitator, UCL Science Centre lectures, London, UK, 4/11/2016
Acoustic levitation as a non-contact manufacturing technology, Advanced Engineering, Birmingham, UK, 2/11/2016
Ultrasonic manipulation – tweezers and tractor beams, ISVR, Southampton, UK, 18/10/2016
Ultrasonic array imaging for NDT, IoP Physical Acoustics Tutorial Series, London, UK, 22/9/2016
Ultrasonic manipulation – tweezers and tractor beams, Invited lecture at AES, 2016 Sound Field Control Conference, University of Surrey, UK, 18/7/2016
Building acoustic landscapes with meta-bricks, Invited lecture at ICMS Workshop, Metamaterials beyond photonics, Edinburgh, UK, 21/6/2016
Dexterous ultrasonic manipulation devices, Wave Engineering Bristol, Bristol, UK, 12/1/2016
Bruce Drinkwater 