A Chinese startup claims it has developed a $1,000 machine capable of hunting mosquitoes with artificial intelligence and shooting them down with a laser, bringing a futuristic approach to an age-old household nuisance, according to the NY Times.
Photon Matrix, based in Changzhou, says it has already secured 5,000 prepaid orders for its Laser Mosquito Air Defense System and is preparing to begin large-scale manufacturing. The company is also working to secure regulatory clearance in China, Europe and the United States.
The machine borrows technology from autonomous vehicles, using lidar to monitor a designated area and identify tiny moving targets. It sends out 100,000 low-intensity laser pulses every second to locate insects before directing a much stronger beam at their wings.
In a recent demonstration, mosquitoes reportedly dropped from the air in rapid succession, accompanied by brief flashes of colored light. The laser destroys their ability to fly without necessarily killing them immediately. According to company founder Wang Chuan, some disabled mosquitoes can remain alive for days.
The Times writes that the biggest obstacle may be safety. The system employs a Class 4 laser powerful enough to cause serious eye injuries almost instantaneously. To reduce that danger, Photon Matrix has equipped the machine with cameras and sensors designed to recognize people, animals and potentially hazardous reflections, automatically blocking the laser when necessary. READ MORE AT SOURCE »
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