Levitating transport system

A transport system comprising:

• a workpiece holder configured to hold a workpiece;
• a moving body disposed above the workpiece holder in a gravity direction and movable in a movement direction intersecting the gravity direction;
• and
• a force generator disposed on the moving body to face the workpiece holder in the gravity direction, the force generator configured to apply a controllable non-contact force to the workpiece holder to follow a movement of the moving body while levitating the workpiece holder.

A transport system comprising:

• a workpiece holder configured to hold a workpiece;
• a moving body facing the workpiece holder at least in a gravity direction and movable in a movement direction intersecting the gravity direction;
• a force generator disposed on the moving body to face the workpiece holder in the gravity direction, the force generator configured to apply a controllable non-contact force to the workpiece holder to follow a movement of the moving body while levitating the workpiece holder;
• a first sensor configured to detect a relative position of the workpiece holder with respect to the moving body;
• a second sensor configured to detect an absolute position of the workpiece holder with respect to a fixed original position;
• and
• a circuitry configured to control the controllable non-contact force generated by the force generator to cause the absolute position to follow a target position with respect to the fixed original position by controlling a relative position of the workpiece holder with respect to the moving body based at least in part on the detected relative position and the detected absolute position.