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I still want to build: - An array of three microphones for locating mosquitos by sound - a servo-mounted laser - Software to combine the two, possibly with a

I still want to build: - An array of three microphones for locating mosquitos by sound - a servo-mounted laser - Software to combine the two, possibly with a manual mode.

briceb8e 10y ago
(semi-serious question) What happens when the sucker lands on your face and gets detected?
- robbrown451 10y ago
  The laser is very weak, it can't even blast through the exoskeleton, it just destroys their wings. (it is a cheap laser like those used in blu-rays...and it needs to use a minimum of energy) Also, its sensors are smart...it can tell the difference between male and female mosquitos by beats per second of their wings. So that shouldn't be a problem.
  - amelius 10y ago
    But what impact does this laser have on the human cornea, or retina?
reustle 10y ago
Reminds me of Nathan Myhrvold's mosquito laser :) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnSKrzmpKGw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnSKrzmpKGw
robbrown451 10y ago
Well it does sort of exist: https://www.fastcoexist.com/3059127/what-happened-to-the-mosquito-zapping-laser-that-was-going-to-stop-malaria https://www.fastcoexist.com/3059127/what-happened-to-the-mos...
- jl6 10y ago
  "Sort of" is right. I remember this being announced years ago, with press releases very much implying it was fully functional and proven. Seems it is still a prototype.
- matt42 10y ago
  The last paragraph says: Correction: This story used out of date information to claim that the technology had been licensed out. It has not been licensed to date. As well, it formerly stated that the U.S. Commerce Department paid for the company to showcase the technology in Germany. It just invited the company. We regret the errors.
- r00fus 10y ago
  Intellectual Ventures? The patent troll? I have a feeling this project will not, in fact, have any impact on the mosquito population.
partycoder 10y ago
The problem is how to accurately classify mosquitoes, leaving out other insects that are required for the ecosystem to work.
deleted 10y ago
[deleted]
JorgeGT 10y ago
This paper should give you a good start for phase I: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/254023592_Real-time_implementation_and_performance_optimization_of_3D_sound_localization_on_GPUs https://www.researchgate.net/publication/254023592_Real-time...

I still want to build: - An array of three microphones for locating mosquitos by sound - a servo-mounted laser - Software to combine the two, possibly with a manual mode.

briceb8e 10y ago

(semi-serious question) What happens when the sucker lands on your face and gets detected?

robbrown451 10y ago
The laser is very weak, it can't even blast through the exoskeleton, it just destroys their wings. (it is a cheap laser like those used in blu-rays...and it needs to use a minimum of energy) Also, its sensors are smart...it can tell the difference between male and female mosquitos by beats per second of their wings. So that shouldn't be a problem.
- amelius 10y ago
  But what impact does this laser have on the human cornea, or retina?

reustle 10y ago

Reminds me of Nathan Myhrvold's mosquito laser :) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnSKrzmpKGw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnSKrzmpKGw

robbrown451 10y ago

Well it does sort of exist: https://www.fastcoexist.com/3059127/what-happened-to-the-mosquito-zapping-laser-that-was-going-to-stop-malaria https://www.fastcoexist.com/3059127/what-happened-to-the-mos...

jl6 10y ago
"Sort of" is right. I remember this being announced years ago, with press releases very much implying it was fully functional and proven. Seems it is still a prototype.
matt42 10y ago
The last paragraph says: Correction: This story used out of date information to claim that the technology had been licensed out. It has not been licensed to date. As well, it formerly stated that the U.S. Commerce Department paid for the company to showcase the technology in Germany. It just invited the company. We regret the errors.
r00fus 10y ago
Intellectual Ventures? The patent troll? I have a feeling this project will not, in fact, have any impact on the mosquito population.

partycoder 10y ago

The problem is how to accurately classify mosquitoes, leaving out other insects that are required for the ecosystem to work.

deleted 10y ago

[deleted]

JorgeGT 10y ago

This paper should give you a good start for phase I: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/254023592_Real-time_implementation_and_performance_optimization_of_3D_sound_localization_on_GPUs https://www.researchgate.net/publication/254023592_Real-time...