Nobody likes hearing a mosquito somewhere in their bedroom, without being able to see where it is. Well, the Bzigo Iris tracks and highlights mozzies, so you can swat them. It's now 50% cheaper, and doesn't require a Wi-Fi connection.
Editor's note: Readers often ask us for follow-ups on memorable stories. What has happened to this story over the years? This article was originally published in 2024 but has been re-edited and updated with new information current as of May 7th, 2025. Enjoy!
Made by Israeli startup Bzigo, the Iris first caught our attention in 2020 when it was still in prototype form. Fast-forward to 2024, and the device became commercially available. Here's how it works …
Placed in a location where it can see most of a room, the Iris utilizes a wide-angle camera and computer vision software to constantly scan the space for flying mosquitoes. It's equipped with an array of infrared LEDs, so it can even scan in the dark.
Apparently the gadget's AI brains aren't easily fooled by other types of small flying insects such as moths, or by airborne dust particles.
Whenever a mosquito is detected, the Iris tracks its position until it lands. The device then marks that location with a Class-1 eye-safe red laser pointer, while also wirelessly alerting the user via an iOS/Android app on their smartphone. If more than one mosquito is detected at once, the Iris will move its pointer back and forth between all of their locations.
What's more, multiple Irises can be set up in multiple rooms, all of them paired to a single phone.
Once a mosquito alert has been issued, it's up to the user to actually dispatch the insect. A telescoping-handled electric swatter is included in the package for that very purpose. And yes, it would be better if the Iris did the mosquito-killing itself, although it's hard to imagine how it would do so without leaving laser scorch marks or tiny bullet holes on the walls.
Should you want a Bzigo Iris of your own, you can order one from the company website for US$199 – that's significantly less than the previous retail price of $399. What's more, the device now offers an offline Travel Mode, for use in locations without Wi-Fi access. Users don't receive notifications in this mode, but still see the mosquitoes that are laser-highlighted for them.
Source: Bzigo
A version of this article was originally published in 2024.
