Since their conception in the early 1900's and patent in 1936, bug zappers have been on the front lines of the war against nature.Though designed for exacting revenge on those responsible for millenia of itchy bites and the transmission of malaria and bubonic plague, they are woefully inneficient, as mosquitos and other biting insects are not attracted to light. On top of this, bug zappers' effective range is limited to several inches at most.

This system, while ridiculously expensive and, arguably, unnecessarily dangerous to bystanders, tracks flying bugs with an integrated phased array radar, then uses a second phased array to generate EM radiation at laser wavelengths to fry the bugs. While tracking would be limited to, say, 7 or 8 bugs at once, with time, your yard would be bug free.
-- CaptainClapper, Aug 21 2009

[DIY Matt]'s concept http://www.lightdes...ds%20in%20laser.jpg
[normzone, Aug 22 2009]

Useful against annoying neighbors, too.
-- RayfordSteele, Aug 21 2009


'Laser wavelengths'?

I like the idea, but radar wouldn't detect a bug, you would be better off with a narrow-depth-of-field thermal camera+tracking software. Moving objects less than ~1mm across get zapped, and it has an emergency setting for use in florida or alaska. (which tracks larger targets and ups the voltage).

I also propose that the kill system could fire lasers in infrared, possibly with a "party setting" that uses green lasers.
-- DIYMatt, Aug 22 2009


[DIYM] why ? (I mean why the IR, not why the party setting)
-- FlyingToaster, Aug 22 2009


Erm, metal mesh box, bottle of animal blood, the gubbins out of a microwave, timer switch, close mesh lid, power on, mozzies die and fall into tray, power off, open mesh lid, repeat.

Use mildly cremated mosquitoes for fertiliser.
-- random_patenter_syndrome_victim, Dec 04 2009



random, halfbakery