This personal air defense system that tracks and shoots mosquitoes with a blue laser is officially available now. The runaway crowdfunding hit has been scaled up by its makers and is available for preorder from the company Photon Matrix's website.
Officially called the Photon Matrix Blue Laser Mosquito Air Defense, this high-tech gadget has now gone from small release to global company and with it worldwide distribution – and it's easy to see why it's proven so popular.
Built for outdoor use – backyard gatherings, camping sites, al fresco dining and more – the gadget uses LiDAR, millimeter-wave radar, AI vision and a precision laser to detect mosquitoes and instantly shoot out a blue laser to take down the target. It doesn't lock onto other flying insects such as butterflies, for example, but has been built to spot a huge range of mosquito species.
When the LiDAR scanner spots a target in its six-meter (20-ft) 90° fan-shaped range, an internal galvo system positions the laser and shoots a beam quicker than you could whack a mosquito between your hands.
As with all such technology now, an accompanying app provides the information – mosquito heat map and data analysis, a list of kills and even a global ranking list like you'd see in a video game, and more. It also lets you adjust the scanning range and angle, schedule times for it to be turned on and off automatically.
The company says it can identify and strike insects that are as small as 2 mm flying at speeds of up to 1 m (3.3 ft) per second.
"Our intelligent mosquito air defense system is powered by LiDAR detection and targeting technology," says Photon Matrix. "By combining AI vision, real-time tracking and precision laser elimination, it creates a smarter and chemical-free solution for physical mosquito control."
Why the blue laser? It's largely for the light show.
While mosquitoes are remarkably adaptable animals, scientists have repeatedly demonstrated that their numbers and territory are expanding as the planet warms and weather patterns change. Of course, only a small percentage are vectors for disease, but it's hard to appreciate them when they feed on our blood.
It's also really unpleasant being covered up from head to toe in the evenings in mosquito-filled environments where skin repellent is actually not that efficient in providing a barrier of protection.
A 20,000-mAh power bank with fast-charging offers around four or so hours of continuous use when disconnected from an outlet. The outdoor package also comes with a base that lets the device spin 360°, increasing the scanning range.
While we're yet to see this machine in action, the company offers as 12-month warranty and free shipping.
Photon Matrix is also offering a unit for indoor use, which uses infrared detection and an invisible (to the human eye) laser that's safe for enclosed spaces. Both models are reported to be extremely quiet – less audible than a whisper, according to the makers.
We're hoping to be able to test one of these as production catches up with preorder demands,
Right now, the outdoor blue-laser model is available for US$1,088 (discounted from $1,288) and the infrared unit is $988 (down from $1,188). Check the website for shipping regions and expected delivery time.
Sources: Photon Matrix and CGTN
