I thought this was an interesting article on how to use magnets for levitation & video on how they do it.
http://www.kjmagnetics.com/blog.asp?p=electromagnetic-levitation
Programable Magnets: Good stuff is around 6:18 “Thats going to change doorknobs!” Ha
That is pretty cool.
Now we have something to do after disassembling all those left over hard drives… Program them as toys. 
I’m working on an automated loom, for at home fabric production, this could come in handy - I think usually they fire the thread back and forth. Im currently thinking a gt20 belt and stepper with a magnet attached to move the bobbin/sled. To levitate it makes more sense though.
I think I’ve seen videos where they fire a plumb bob, basically across the opening. How does it get pulled taught though?
It would be neat to have a rigid mechanical arm move across the opening, and then grab the other side, and release the close side, then do the operation in reverse. It’s hard to explain. You wouldn’t have the weight constraints though. That sounds like a fun project.