# Lifters - do they work? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 4, 2002, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lifters-do-they-work/130881 "2002-10-04T19:57:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Homer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/df788c/32.png) [@Homer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homer)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2002, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lifters-do-they-work/130881/1 "2002-10-04T19:57:18Z")
A recent [Wired article](http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,52432,00.html) talks about a technology called “lifters” who take advantage of an asymmetrical capacitor design to ‘pull’ a negatively charged plate towards a magnetic, positively charged wire. The difference in size, apparently, causes the ‘lifter’ to lift. Now, even NASA is getting its toes wet in this technology. Some lifter designs by American Antigravity look startlingly like common UFO shapes. WTF? If this is totally on the up-and-up, why is Wired the only legit source writing about this new tech? I would think that, if this were real, it would be EVERYWHERE! Should I waste my time building something that won’t work? Tim ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2002, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lifters-do-they-work/130881/2 "2002-10-04T20:31:40Z")
[here’s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=116172&highlight=lifters) a previous thread that had some good links. Pretty cool stuff IMO, but fairly useless until improved upon. But that’s what progress is all about, 'taint it? I’d like to see where this technology goes in 20 years. ---
**Author:** ![Homer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/df788c/32.png) [@Homer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homer)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2002, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lifters-do-they-work/130881/3 "2002-10-04T21:07:07Z")
My God. I can’t believe that I, a nearly four year veteran here, posted a thread without searching first. DuckDuckGoose will have my head for this. Thanks, NurseCarmen. Tim ---
**Author:** ![AndrewL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@AndrewL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AndrewL)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2002, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lifters-do-they-work/130881/4 "2002-10-04T23:12:17Z")
The question isn’t whether they work. The technology is simple and has been reproduced repeatedly. The question is whether there’s anyhting more than an ion wind effect going on. That still remains yet to be conclusively proven. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2002, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lifters-do-they-work/130881/5 "2002-10-05T01:17:49Z")
Ion wind effect? Wow, what a concept. I’m looking forward to this turning up in a song by Weezer, Dave Mathews Band, or Billy Joel. I like your hair, dude. Thanks, it’s an ion wind effect. Ooooo. ---
**Author:** ![\_etalhea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/_/779978/32.png) [@\_etalhea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/_etalhea)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2002, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lifters-do-they-work/130881/6 "2002-10-05T14:18:07Z")
I have often produced an Ion Wind Effect, usually several hours after eating a green chili burrito. I’m fairly certain others will be able to duplicate my research. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2002, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lifters-do-they-work/130881/7 "2002-10-05T22:32:37Z")
I’m confused here. So all it’s doing is pulling one plate up to another? You might as well just use a crane. It’s not going to get you up any higher than the top plate. ---
**Author:** ![EmbarrassingDad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/embarrassingdad/32/5441_2.png) [@EmbarrassingDad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmbarrassingDad)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2002, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lifters-do-they-work/130881/8 "2002-10-06T07:24:04Z")
Chronos- There isn’t any top or bottom plate. They are producing a thrust. [http://www.americanantigravity.com/](http://www.americanantigravity.com/) has videos and instructions for building one. Of course, I have no idea if it’s just ion wind or not.