A compact, noncontact mechanical coupling, damping, and/or load bearing device comprising an internal load bearing member and an external load bearing member that are mated in an interdigitated relation while maintaining a gap therebetween is described. In some embodiments, the gap between the internal and external load bearing members is maintained by hydrostatic means, hydrodynamic means, electrorheological fluids, magnetorheological fluids, electric fields, and/or magnetic fields.