An acoustic levitation system comprising: at least one acoustic transducer array (110, 511, 512, 611, 612, 613, 614, 710) configured to emit acoustic energy of periodically varying intensity, each of the at least one acoustic transducer array (110, 511, 512, 611, 612, 613, 614, 710) comprising a plurality of transducer elements (e i), the transducer elements (e i) being controllable in response to a control signal (C, C1, C2, C3, C11, C12, C13, C14) so as to emit the acoustic energy at a wavelength and phase delay determined by the control signal (C, C1, C2, C3, C11, C12, C13, C14); and a controller communicably connected to the at least one acoustic transducer array (110, 511, 512, 611, 612, 613, 614, 710), characterized in that the controller is configured to define an acoustic channel comprising one or more high-pressure region (130 k) enclosing a continuous pressure minimum region that extends along a defined channel path from a start position (x 1, y 1, z 1) to an end position (x 2, y 2, z 2), by generating the control signal (C, C1, C2, C3, C11, C12, C13, C14) such that the emitted acoustic energy forms an acoustic-potential field of acoustic waves being constructively combined at a plurality of common focal points (135 j), the plurality of common focal points (135 j) being divided into N channel control groups (150 N), wherein N ≥ 2, each channel control group comprising at least two common focal points (135 j), the common focal points (135 j) in each channel control group being located along the periphery of a respective circular cross-section (CR N) of the acoustic channel, the phases of the at least two common focal points (135 j) in each channel control group is equally distributed between 0° and 360° around the periphery of the respective circular cross-section, and the phase of each common focal point in a channel control group corresponds within a preset tolerance, ±T, to the phase of the closest common focal point in the neighboring channel control group or groups. at least one acoustic transducer array (110, 511, 512, 611, 612, 613, 614, 710) configured to emit acoustic energy of periodically varying intensity, each of the at least one acoustic transducer array (110, 511, 512, 611, 612, 613, 614, 710) comprising a plurality of transducer elements (e i), the transducer elements (e i) being controllable in response to a control signal (C, C1, C2, C3, C11, C12, C13, C14) so as to emit the acoustic energy at a wavelength and phase delay determined by the control signal (C, C1, C2, C3, C11, C12, C13, C14); and a controller communicably connected to the at least one acoustic transducer array (110, 511, 512, 611, 612, 613, 614, 710), characterized in that the controller is configured to define an acoustic channel comprising one or more high-pressure region (130 k) enclosing a continuous pressure minimum region that extends along a defined channel path from a start position (x 1, y 1, z 1) to an end position (x 2, y 2, z 2), by generating the control signal (C, C1, C2, C3, C11, C12, C13, C14) such that the emitted acoustic energy forms an acoustic-potential field of acoustic waves being constructively combined at a plurality of common focal points (135 j), the plurality of common focal points (135 j) being divided into N channel control groups (150 N), wherein N ≥ 2, each channel control group comprising at least two common focal points (135 j), the common focal points (135 j) in each channel control group being located along the periphery of a respective circular cross-section (CR N) of the acoustic channel, the phases of the at least two common focal points (135 j) in each channel control group is equally distributed between 0° and 360° around the periphery of the respective circular cross-section, and the phase of each common focal point in a channel control group corresponds within a preset tolerance, ±T, to the phase of the closest common focal point in the neighboring channel control group or groups.