5 ms·

So release it in the public domain and let someone in Africa make the choice between a small chance of minor vision damage vs crippling and possibly fatal malar

So release it in the public domain and let someone in Africa make the choice between a small chance of minor vision damage vs crippling and possibly fatal malaria

jcims 6y ago
This is still going to require some reasonably high power laser diodes, precision galvanometers, optics, etc. Probably $2k each to cover a very small area. They just aren't going to be that practical. Genetically modified mosquitos are the way to actually solve the problem, but that has its own risks.
- hutzlibu 6y ago
  "Genetically modified mosquitos are the way" So you think a massive invasive change in the core biology of a very large animal population is clearly superior to a local solution? Ok, then please explain why. Personally I would much rather leave the wildlife genetics as it is and rather protect homes directly. (btw. mosquitos are annoying even if they do not carry malaria)
  - jcims 6y ago
    It wasn't a value statement. I don't think it's the right way to go about it, but it would almost certainly be the most effective. These laser boxes aren't really a 'local' solution. They would reduce, not elimiate, mosquitos in the vicinity of one entry into a home. You would need a dozen to fully protect a single house.
    - hutzlibu 6y ago
      When you describe one solution as "the way" it implies it is the only rational way, which is pretty much a clear value statement. And since the area covered of the laser is 30 m, killing up to 100 mosquitos per second, why on earth would you need a dozen to protect one home?
- ncmncm 6y ago
  A speaker cone is a precision galvanometer. If one of these, manufactured, had to be sold for more than $50, retail, they are hardly even trying.
  - jcims 6y ago
    A speaker is a precision open-loop voice coil that precisely translates input current to force that displaces a membrane. A laser galvanometer is a precision closed-loop voice coil that translates input voltage to a specific position/displacement. The mechanical components to ensure repeatability and the electrical components that 'close the loop' are what generally make them (much) more expensive than speakers. Picking off a mosquito will require positional accuracy of say 1mm. If you want a range of 10 meters you're going to need positional accuracy of ~.1 milliradian. Most galvos have a rotational range of .3-.5 radians, so you're not going to need extreme positional accuracy relative to what's on the market. A controller, pair of quality 16 bit dacs, galvo hardware and decent power supply should be adequate. I have some of the cheap $300 ebay 2-axis galvos and those are not sufficient. You're going to need a step up and are easily getting into the thousand dollar range for the galvos alone.
    - ncmncm 6y ago
      You are asking too much of the galvanometer, and not enough of the system it is part of. Do your own muscles satisfy your requirements? Muscles no different can put a basketball in a hoop from half-court, blind. The return signal from progessively-focusing beam can provide the closed-loop control needed.
      - jcims 6y ago
        This actually isn't asking much of the galvanometer. Commercial systems are generally 20-24 bits and have resolution in the 10-20 microradians range...100-1000 times more precise than we need. But ultimately the control system has nothing more than input voltage to the galvanometers to steer them, and depending on the source of inaccuracy they may or may not be able to overcome it.

So release it in the public domain and let someone in Africa make the choice between a small chance of minor vision damage vs crippling and possibly fatal malaria

jcims 6y ago

This is still going to require some reasonably high power laser diodes, precision galvanometers, optics, etc. Probably $2k each to cover a very small area. They just aren't going to be that practical. Genetically modified mosquitos are the way to actually solve the problem, but that has its own risks.

hutzlibu 6y ago
"Genetically modified mosquitos are the way" So you think a massive invasive change in the core biology of a very large animal population is clearly superior to a local solution? Ok, then please explain why. Personally I would much rather leave the wildlife genetics as it is and rather protect homes directly. (btw. mosquitos are annoying even if they do not carry malaria)
- jcims 6y ago
  It wasn't a value statement. I don't think it's the right way to go about it, but it would almost certainly be the most effective. These laser boxes aren't really a 'local' solution. They would reduce, not elimiate, mosquitos in the vicinity of one entry into a home. You would need a dozen to fully protect a single house.
  - hutzlibu 6y ago
    When you describe one solution as "the way" it implies it is the only rational way, which is pretty much a clear value statement. And since the area covered of the laser is 30 m, killing up to 100 mosquitos per second, why on earth would you need a dozen to protect one home?
ncmncm 6y ago
A speaker cone is a precision galvanometer. If one of these, manufactured, had to be sold for more than $50, retail, they are hardly even trying.
- jcims 6y ago
  A speaker is a precision open-loop voice coil that precisely translates input current to force that displaces a membrane. A laser galvanometer is a precision closed-loop voice coil that translates input voltage to a specific position/displacement. The mechanical components to ensure repeatability and the electrical components that 'close the loop' are what generally make them (much) more expensive than speakers. Picking off a mosquito will require positional accuracy of say 1mm. If you want a range of 10 meters you're going to need positional accuracy of ~.1 milliradian. Most galvos have a rotational range of .3-.5 radians, so you're not going to need extreme positional accuracy relative to what's on the market. A controller, pair of quality 16 bit dacs, galvo hardware and decent power supply should be adequate. I have some of the cheap $300 ebay 2-axis galvos and those are not sufficient. You're going to need a step up and are easily getting into the thousand dollar range for the galvos alone.
  - ncmncm 6y ago
    You are asking too much of the galvanometer, and not enough of the system it is part of. Do your own muscles satisfy your requirements? Muscles no different can put a basketball in a hoop from half-court, blind. The return signal from progessively-focusing beam can provide the closed-loop control needed.
    - jcims 6y ago
      This actually isn't asking much of the galvanometer. Commercial systems are generally 20-24 bits and have resolution in the 10-20 microradians range...100-1000 times more precise than we need. But ultimately the control system has nothing more than input voltage to the galvanometers to steer them, and depending on the source of inaccuracy they may or may not be able to overcome it.