With the world becoming warmer due to climate change, mosquitoes are busy expanding their habitats to more and more places. Cashing in on this scenario, a Chinese startup has developed a technology that can zap the pesky insects with lasers.
The breakthrough promises a future in which the peace and quiet of a summer evening is no longer broken by the high-pitched buzz of a flying mosquito looking for prey.
The portable device developed in Changzhou, a manufacturing hub in eastern Jiangsu province, is drawing international attention after raising more than $1.6 million — an 80-fold increase from the initial target of $20,000 — on an overseas crowdfunding platform. The response far exceeded all expectations of the manufacturers of the device, which sold out within days. More than 2,600 overseas backers snapped up the devices, which are priced at between $600 and $620 each.
With mosquito-borne diseases a very real threat in many parts of the world, the centuries-old fight against the tiny insects is being reshaped by a new wave of consumer technology emerging from China's innovation ecosystem.
Created by the Changzhou-based tech startup Photon Matrix Lab, the device uses an artificial intelligence-powered vision module to detect targets as small as 2 millimeters.
Within 0.003 seconds, it fires a high-energy pulse laser that disables a mosquito midflight — a process that is nearly invisible to the human eye — and can neutralize up to 30 insects per second.
According to Wang Chuan, CEO and founder of Photon Matrix Lab, the device is essentially a home-use micro defense system, a shift from traditional repellents to precision targeting.
The road to that precision was not easy. Early prototypes failed to reliably detect mosquitoes at close range, as lidar — light detection and ranging — signals became overwhelmed by background noise. The breakthrough came after integrating custom lidar, AI vision algorithms and laser emission systems, enabling stable detection rates of over 95 percent within a six-meter range.
"By compressing industrial-grade laser systems into a compact, consumer-ready device and pairing them with AI algorithms, Chinese engineers effectively turned a cannon into a sniper rifle," Wang said.
The company, which was established in September, is ramping up production. An initial shipment of 5,000 units is expected this summer, with plans to expand to agricultural and industrial pest control applications.
The Photon Matrix device is not alone in reimagining mosquito control. Israeli startup Bzigo's Iris, which was priced at around $300, uses computer vision to track and locate mosquitoes indoors. However, while the Iris focuses on detection, the Chinese device goes a step further by eliminating the targets.
Over the past decade, Chinese companies have moved from being followers to leaders in industrial laser technology, driving down costs while scaling performance. What once powered heavy-duty cutting and marking systems is now being miniaturized for consumer use.
"In Silicon Valley, it's hard to find a supplier who can prototype a high-precision fiber laser module in two weeks. But in Changzhou, the supply chain is right downstairs," said Li Ran, chief technology officer of Photon Matrix Lab.
According to the World Health Organization, over 3,500 species of mosquitoes exist worldwide. Around 200 species bite humans, transmitting disease in the process. Mosquitoes kill more than 700,000 people each year, and over half the global population remains at risk.
Wang Peng, a researcher at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, said, "When a Chinese company stops imitating Silicon Valley and starts solving real-world problems with its own supply chain and AI capabilities, it gains the power to set global standards."
The breakthrough promises a future in which the peace and quiet of a summer evening is no longer broken by the high-pitched buzz of a flying mosquito looking for prey.
The portable device developed in Changzhou, a manufacturing hub in eastern Jiangsu province, is drawing international attention after raising more than $1.6 million — an 80-fold increase from the initial target of $20,000 — on an overseas crowdfunding platform. The response far exceeded all expectations of the manufacturers of the device, which sold out within days. More than 2,600 overseas backers snapped up the devices, which are priced at between $600 and $620 each.
With mosquito-borne diseases a very real threat in many parts of the world, the centuries-old fight against the tiny insects is being reshaped by a new wave of consumer technology emerging from China's innovation ecosystem.
Created by the Changzhou-based tech startup Photon Matrix Lab, the device uses an artificial intelligence-powered vision module to detect targets as small as 2 millimeters.
Within 0.003 seconds, it fires a high-energy pulse laser that disables a mosquito midflight — a process that is nearly invisible to the human eye — and can neutralize up to 30 insects per second.
According to Wang Chuan, CEO and founder of Photon Matrix Lab, the device is essentially a home-use micro defense system, a shift from traditional repellents to precision targeting.
The road to that precision was not easy. Early prototypes failed to reliably detect mosquitoes at close range, as lidar — light detection and ranging — signals became overwhelmed by background noise. The breakthrough came after integrating custom lidar, AI vision algorithms and laser emission systems, enabling stable detection rates of over 95 percent within a six-meter range.
"By compressing industrial-grade laser systems into a compact, consumer-ready device and pairing them with AI algorithms, Chinese engineers effectively turned a cannon into a sniper rifle," Wang said.
The company, which was established in September, is ramping up production. An initial shipment of 5,000 units is expected this summer, with plans to expand to agricultural and industrial pest control applications.
The Photon Matrix device is not alone in reimagining mosquito control. Israeli startup Bzigo's Iris, which was priced at around $300, uses computer vision to track and locate mosquitoes indoors. However, while the Iris focuses on detection, the Chinese device goes a step further by eliminating the targets.
Over the past decade, Chinese companies have moved from being followers to leaders in industrial laser technology, driving down costs while scaling performance. What once powered heavy-duty cutting and marking systems is now being miniaturized for consumer use.
"In Silicon Valley, it's hard to find a supplier who can prototype a high-precision fiber laser module in two weeks. But in Changzhou, the supply chain is right downstairs," said Li Ran, chief technology officer of Photon Matrix Lab.
According to the World Health Organization, over 3,500 species of mosquitoes exist worldwide. Around 200 species bite humans, transmitting disease in the process. Mosquitoes kill more than 700,000 people each year, and over half the global population remains at risk.
Wang Peng, a researcher at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, said, "When a Chinese company stops imitating Silicon Valley and starts solving real-world problems with its own supply chain and AI capabilities, it gains the power to set global standards."
Chinese mosquito zapper draws backers, sells out fast - Chinadaily.com.cn
With the world becoming warmer, mosquitoes are busy expanding their habitats to more and more places.
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