A MOSQUITO-busting laser that can supposedly kill up to 30 mozzies a second has been proposed by a Chinese firm.
The gadget, called Photon Matrix, is claimed to be able to detect the mosquito, as well as its angle and size, within just three milliseconds.
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As soon as the mosquito is detected, a second laser beam is fired to kill it.
The laser will allegedly scan its surroundings to avoid firing at larger objects such as people and pets.
However, it is still a prototype – so it is unclear if it can really do the job just yet.
The company expects to make its first deliveries of the product in October this year.
Although major production is forecast to begin by March 2026.
According to its inventor, Jim Wong from Changzhou, China, it is a “prototype of the first mosquito air defence system capable of identifying and neutralizing mosquitoes using high-specification LiDAR technology.”
Photon Matrix can detect objects that are flying at a top speed of 3.3 feet (one meter) per second.
That parameter is good news for house flies, which will only be fatally hit by it if they are flying really slowly.
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Mosquitoes, however, typically fly at a much slower pace than house flies.
So it weeds out the nasty critters, without taking out harmless house flies.
To this end, Wong says the mini laser weapon will not harm humans or pets, and is safe for use indoors.
Wong is raising money for the project on crowdfunding site Indiegogo, and the campaign has already met the its initial goal, Interesting Engineering reported.
Mosquitoes are responsible for over 700,000 deaths annual due to the diseases they spread – including Malaria, Dengue, Chikungunya, and Encephalitis.
According to the Indiegogo page for the device, the basic edition of Photon Matrix has a waterproof design and can be installed easily.
This leaves it best placed to sit by water, which tends to attract mosquitoes – especially in summer.
It can also be powered by a simple power bank or through a portable power station, according to the listing.
The compact device on display is said to have a range of 9.84 feet (3 meters) for the basic version.
However, the pro version can detect mozzies up to 19.6 feet (6 meters) away, according to the inventor.
Both the basic and pro versions have a scan angle of 90 degrees.
While the basic version is on offer for $468 (£345), the pro version is available for $668 (£492) – though these are early bird prices.
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