Japan’s Toshiba Elevator and Building Systems Corporation will introduce the world’s first magnetic levitation controlled turbo device in 2008.

The “Meglev” will be capable of suspending objects in mid-air through a complex mechanism of magnetic attraction and repulsion, bringing technology up to the scale of STAR TREK’s famous starship turbolifts.

Toshiba is touting this new development to be quieter and more comfortable than anything currently available, however the Meglev will not be as fast (approx. 984 feet [300 meters] per minute) as conventional elevators currently available which can travel up to 3,314 feet per minute. Developers at Toshiba expect those speeds to exceed conventional elevators in just a few short years.

While the technology is new in elevator use, it has been employed with relative success over the last few years for high-speed passenger rail service in the Far East.