It automatically tracks and targets, then fires a short burst of laser energy to shoot down one of Alaska's most-cursed pests: the mosquito. Called a Photonic Fence, the device -- the prototype of which was built with parts bought on eBay -- is being built by the Bellevue, Wash. company Intellectual Ventures. And while it is designed to be used in areas with high numbers of malaria-carrying mosquitoes, the device could also be used to protect crops from other insects or to keep the ubiquitous Alaska mosquitoes at bay.
The Photonic Fence uses a series of high speed cameras and sensors to track and identify flying insects. According to the company's website, it can distinguish between different types of insects by tracking the frequency of wing beats, as well as the insect's shape, size, and airspeed. Intellectual Ventures even claims the Photonic Fence can tell the difference between male and female mosquitoes -- the ones that do the biting.
When it finds an acceptable target, the device's computer checks the surroundings to make sure no other animals are nearby that could be harmed by the laser, including humans. Then, a short burst of laser light -- just strong enough to singe off the flying nuisance's wings – sends the mosquito plummeting to the ground. A small puff of smoke is the only visible indication of the mosquito massacre. Then, the computer automatically begins tracking another bug, and the process starts all over again. Since the device is designed to be used in places that may not have easy access to electricity, it is being built to be run on solar power.
Intellectual Ventures has not yet said when the device would be available to the public, nor how much it would cost.
Local Seattle NBC affiliate KING5 also has a great video showing how the device works in a room crowded with both people and bugs.