An acoustic levitation system comprising: at least one acoustic transducer array configured to emit acoustic energy of periodically varying intensity, each of the at least one acoustic transducer array 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 , characterized in that the controller is configured to define an acoustic channel (CH) comprising one or more high-pressure region (130 k ) enclosing a continuous pressure minimum region that extends along a defined channel path (P) 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 (CH), 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 (CR), 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 configured to emit acoustic energy of periodically varying intensity, each of the at least one acoustic transducer array 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 , characterized in that the controller is configured to define an acoustic channel (CH) comprising one or more high-pressure region (130 k ) enclosing a continuous pressure minimum region that extends along a defined channel path (P) 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 (CH), 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 (CR), 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 . <EOS>