Sonic-powered Mosquito Larvae Eliminator 76
Bob Vila's Hammer writes "Inventor Michael Nyberg, at the age of 15, developed the idea for a mosquito larvae eradicator after hearing about rising cases of West Nile virus. His company, Larvasonic, has developed these devices. They utilize sonic blasts at certain frequency that rupture the breathing sacs of the larvae, killing them instantly. Remarkably, it does not harm other insects and it is considered a very effective means of destroying problematic mosquito infestations."
Call the Gates! (fp?) (Score:3, Interesting)
best method for malaria control would be a vaccine (Score:3, Insightful)
The cheapest and best method for malaria disease control would be a vaccine, in which an single inoculation would deliver permanent immunity. Unfortunately, western drug companies are traditionally unprepared to invest money, in tropical/non-western diseases, due to high risks and return of investment.
At least William H. Gates Foundation has got the right idea The William H. Gates Foundation Announces a $50 Million Gift to Establish the Malaria Vaccine Initiative [malariavaccine.org]
Best method? You're sure? (Score:3, Informative)
Vaccines would be a good component of a defense-in-depth; the downside is that the w
Modern drugs (Score:2, Insightful)
You correctly present the problems in creating a vaccine for malaria.
However, Is it not a simply a matter of insufficient international research funding, for a non-western/tropical disease, that leaves this disease without modern drugs
After all chloroquine was introduced in 1943, 61 years ago, and was highly effective.
The recent outbrake SARS show the speed and technology that modern drug companies can throw at a problem when energised to do so, why not for malaria?
History of malaria [museums.org.za]
Ideal malari [malaria-vaccines.org.uk]
Re:Modern drugs (Score:3, Informative)
This is certainly a problem, and more money for malaria research would definitely help.
However, you could throw all the money in the world at the problem, and still not get a good drug as quickly as you'd like. To get a drug that is effective against a disease without also killing the host, you need to exploit differences between the host and the disease-causing organism. M
Re:Modern drugs (Score:1)
Novartis opened an institute for the study of tropical diseases [biomed-singapore.com] a couple of years ago.
No, they aren't spending as much on this as they spend on cancer, impotence, obesity, and other "western" diseases, but drug companies are COMPANIES. Which means they have to try to make money. If you want more money spent on diseases that primarily affect people who can't pay for drugs, you can
Re:Best method? You're sure? (Score:1)
Re:Re: Best method for mosquito control (Score:2)
The best way to kill larvae though is with oil, kerosene or diesel works well. It forms a thin layer on the water, so when the mosquitos emerge they are coated and can not breathe.
Also DEET dropped from above by helocopters is a good thing.
Great Idea! Let's go for it! (Score:4, Funny)
OK, so I sound a little hateful, but I'm tired of being under them on the food chain. It hurts my self-esteem. (What's left of it anyway...)
Re:Great Idea! Let's go for it! (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Great Idea! Let's go for it! (Score:2, Informative)
They'll eat anything that moves and is the right size.
Dragonfly Encounter (Score:2)
They'll eat anything that moves and is the right size.BR>
Example:
I went fishing once. I had my rod and reel all ready to go, with a lure attached. Before casting, I adjusted the reel a bit. I happened to be holding the rod at about 45 degrees, with the lure dangling on a short length of line. Physics being what it is, the lure spun around in a tight circle. Imagine my surprise when a dragonfly appeared
What about the crows? (Score:3, Funny)
Re:What about the crows? (Score:4, Funny)
I don't know if it works for crows, but some birds, such as starlings, are incapable of farting. Put some bread out caked in bicarbonate of soda and wait for the feathers to fly.
Disclaimer: This is cruel, and not remotely funny. Honestly. Not even midly humourous.
Re:What about the crows? (Score:1)
Re:What about the crows? (Score:2)
Re:What about the crows? (Score:2)
Re:What about the crows? (Score:1)
*shrug*
Malaria too (Score:4, Insightful)
it doesn't kill other insects (Score:2, Funny)
Many other animals supposedly live under water, although I can't name one right now. What is the effect of this on them ?
Really interesting, anyway.
Re:it doesn't kill other insects (Score:5, Funny)
Ehh, Fish?
Re:it doesn't kill other insects (Score:1)
and you killed it !
Shame on you.
Re:it doesn't kill other insects (Score:1, Funny)
Yeah, but it was already lame, so think of it as a mercy killing.
Re:it doesn't kill other insects (Score:1)
Honestly, this is something that the kid did well over a year ago originally. only news is that it's been comercialised.
Re:it doesn't kill other insects (Score:1)
Thanks
Re:it doesn't kill other insects (Score:1)
Re:it doesn't kill other insects (Score:5, Funny)
Oh my!
Hmm (Score:4, Funny)
I bet he used to pull the wings off flies when he was younger.
Chris
Re:Hmm (Score:2)
Re:Hmm (Score:1)
When he was younger? I bet he still does (he's only 15).
Heck, we still try to see what'll explode in the microwaves at the caf...all in the name of scientific experiments, ya know, but still...
All graphics! (Score:4, Interesting)
the guy might be clever but he needs a lessson in how to get one's site indexed
I guess a
Re:All graphics! (Score:1)
Will it work on mosquitos too? (Score:2)
Re:Will it work on mosquitos too? (Score:4, Funny)
It'll be Genocide: The Next Generation!
Re:Will it work on mosquitos too? (Score:1)
I suggest you get one of those electric mosquito killers. You know, the ones that look like small tennis rackets. Extremely satisfying devices. Just one minute in a swarm of mosquitoes with one of those is equivalent of more than a quarter of hour of gibbing people in an FPS. The only bad part is the smell made by the exploding mosquitoes.
Nevertheless, a sonic gun with an area effect would be sweet...
I've also been thinking of a small radar-directed laser system. I, too, r
Breeding Resistance (Score:5, Interesting)
I'm wondering if this would just breed resistance to having body parts susceptible to sonic disruption. After all, mosquitoes breed in incredibly large numbers, so in very few generations, resistance to this should develop.
Don't get me wrong, I like the idea of "Better Living Thru No Chemicals" (tm) (grin) but I just see this thing as flawed in its longevity given the natural forces at work.
How much does ultrasonic propogate through water? These larvae are in water, right? So, the larvae that are on the surface are killed (which is most of them if memory serves about how their life cycle works). But, what about the ones slightly below the surface? And even farther? They get less of a sonic dose, and are bred for resistance.
This is the same kind of thing that's being done with lysteria and myriad other diseases/organisms by administering antibiotics in small doses to cattle / other livestock. We're breeding for better organisms that will evade our better efforts.
Good job, though, and hearty thanks to the 15 year old.
I might suggest people build more bat houses, though. Bats are known to eat half their weight in insects, mostly skeeters, per NIGHT. Note: I think skeeters must be high fiber (grin) or this would be really filling (!!!).
I have a bat house; we just moved, and I'm going to reinstall it at our new house. They're like birdhouses, but specific to bats (whose natural habitat, rotting trees and caves, are very scarce in suburbia). Contrary to popular opinion, bats don't carry disease readily because they're rather fragile creatures, they just die and people find them, think they're the disease carriers instead of the victims. Bats are actually very, very useful, and really harmless creatures. Give them a home, I say, and get rid of the skeeters that way.
Evolutionary pressures have been balancing out this predator / prey for a long time.
Re:Breeding Resistance (Score:5, Insightful)
This is because bats prey on the fundamental design of a mosquito: they can move faster, think faster, sense faster. Developing a resistance to bats will require a change in the entire organism.
I think there is a similar case in the vulnerability of their breathing sacs. This is a rather fundamental organ of the mosquito, and expecting it to change very rapidly is unreasonable. This is not just some chemical resistance, but an inherent physical vulnerability. They may evolve thicker breathing sacs, but this is a flaw in the fundamental structure of the breathing sac and cannot be changed quickly. Thus, correcting this defect won't happen over a few generations.
Re:Breeding Resistance (Score:1)
Re:Breeding Resistance (Score:3, Interesting)
By changing the resonant frequency. The more effective 24KHz is (the frequency mentioned in the article) the faster the evolution would happen, as only those larvae that resonate at a different frequency would survive. Over time, in places where this device was heavily used, you'd get a range of possible frequencies in the larvae.
Re:Breeding Resistance (Score:3, Informative)
I imagine it would take a lot more than just a few generations, but even then, you could just change the frequency to match the bigger/smaller air sacks. I doubt mosquitos without these air sacks are going to evolve anytime soon.
How much does ultrasonic propogate through water?
Sou
Re:Breeding Resistance (Score:4, Informative)
It makes good fertilizer tho.
Re:Breeding Resistance (Score:4, Funny)
I bet on Mosquito Slashdot they are thinking, if we started killing humans by ripping out their lungs, maybe in a few generations they might develop a resistance to lung removal.
Yeah Evolution!
Re:Breeding Resistance (Score:2)
Re:Breeding Resistance (Score:1)
I work with ultrasonics (just got done with an experiment about 1/2 hour ago, at 510kHz and 2.25MHz). There's no problem propagating signals of these "medium" frequencies through water for several meters without significant attenuation, up to tens of
His patent (Score:5, Informative)
Patent 6,298,011: Method for killing mosquito larvae [uspto.gov]
A short excerpt:
"Mosquito larvae have internal organs which contain various structures, including a small air bladder. All structures have acoustic resonance, especially underwater bubbles. Since larvae tissues are fragile, simply matching the acoustic resonance of the air bladder causes acute trauma and embolism resulting in death of the mosquito larvae.
Thus, referring to FIG. 1, an acoustic transducer is immersed in a body of water which is a habitat for mosquito larvae. A depth of immersion of only a few inches is required, as shown in FIG. 1. One or more transducer is preferably connected to an amplifier which in turn is connected to a signal generator for generating a resonant frequency within an octave range ranging from 16 kHz to 32 kHz. The transducer immersed in water is energized for a short period of time. The resultant acoustic resonance resonates with the air bladder of the mosquito larvae, causing it to traumatize surrounding tissue and causes the air bubble to migrate from the thorax of the mosquito through the abdomen, resulting in death to the larvae. An effective resonant frequency is from 16 kHz to 32 kHz, and less than one watt of energy is necessary to start the process. A larger signal generator would be necessary to cover a larger body of water with rapid coverage, or the unit could be effectively moved to various locations in the body of water."
Too bad the mosquitos themself are part of... (Score:5, Insightful)
Perhaps not fiddle with nature after all?
roy
Re:Too bad the mosquitos themself are part of... (Score:3, Informative)
Other detrimental species have also been introduced by ships, like rats, mice, and of course haoles like me. ;)
And then someone got the bright idea of shipping in mongoose to control the rats... but rats are nocturnal and mongoose are diurnal... whoops.
Re:Too bad the mosquitos themself are part of... (Score:1)
Of course the shouters forgot the fact that they arrived there in boats too.
Re:Too bad the mosquitos themself are part of... (Score:1)
Not a new invention ... (Score:4, Insightful)
Regarding your sig (semi-OT) (Score:3, Interesting)
Warm-water corals are moving northward along the Atlantic coast of Florida, and (getting slightly back on-topic) it appears likely that malarial mosquitoes will be able to move north right along with them. Move over, West Nil
Ague (Score:1)
Look at U.S. historical records from the 1800's and realize that the effect that mosquito borne illnesses had.
Re:Regarding your sig (semi-OT) (Score:2)
No science but yet another comment on my _SIG_ ?! (Score:2)
About Coral: explain the link between the warm water corals and the malarial mosquitoes. Explain what in their environment is causing such a migration and explai
Re:No science but yet another comment on my _SIG_ (Score:1)
And what is wrong with inaccurate (meaning, imperfect) models? To be perfect, a model would have to be the thing that it models. This is impossible, or nearly so. Less than perfect models are still very useful in many cases.
How loud??? (Score:3, Interesting)
Somebody check my math - the storm drain model claims an output of 195 dB referenced to 1 mPa @ 1m. If I did the math right, [using the power formula dB = 10*log(P1/Pref)] that comes out to 31.6 pPa (yes, 31.6 peta Pascals) @ 1m. That's about 313 billion atmospheres! Even using the more conservative 'voltage' formula [dB = 20*log(V1/Vref)] it still only comes out to half the above value. I would expect instant boiling at those amplitudes.
Re:How loud??? (Score:2)
Those numbers are still pretty spooky, though.
Re:How loud??? (Score:3, Informative)
It's also notable that the power output is supposed to be 400 W. You'd need some serious coupling to the water and a thoroughly resonant cavity, I'd think, to be able to achieve that sort of pressure (5.6 MPa) at that power level - but then, underwater acoustics are not my speciality. I did find the results of some experiments at which suggested a couple of [hearinginnovations.com]
Re:How loud??? (Score:2)
Re:How loud??? (Score:2)
Curse those pesky exponents! Of course the voltage formula does not give 1/2 the power formula. Sorry about that...5.6 MPa sounds much more reasonable.
Nice idea but somewhat impractical (Score:3, Insightful)
Something more practical in west nile terms would be a small, timer driven one that could be put in a birdbath for a whole season. The wetland and canal dragged versions are just short of silly.
The real problem with west nile at least are breeds of mosquitos that tend to prefer urban settings and can (and do) breed in the water trapped in a discarded pop can so all this would do is naturally select for the bugs that tend to use more marginal water sources.
As much as one would like to one does not want to take these things completely out of the food chain, just keep them away from areas of human habitation.
There are easier solutions in many cases, our summer place abuts a swamp where we just couldn't get in there with this thing as it's so overgrown, Last year we used one of those CO2 exhaling traps (Mosquito Magnet brand) and it's amazing how well it works, for the first time in living memory we were able to sit outside at dusk without being eaten alive. Changing a propane tank every three weeks and emptying the bag of dead mosquitos (and no other bugs) sure beats slogging through a swamp in hip waders once or twice a week...
Cool (Score:5, Funny)
Natural Selection (Score:3, Interesting)
In this situation we may find that the mosquito gene pool may be diverse enough to contain a small number of mosquito larvae that are not destroyed by these devices (taking into account that other insects are unaffected, this may mean that the margin of error is small). Thus the gene pool will be reduced in eliminating most types of mosquito's except those that can survive. Just as we see most bacteria killed by anti-biotics, but a few immune ones surviving.
Just thought that would be an interesting side note. I don't know how easy these devices would be to tune them to destroy 'new' types of mosquitos.
Common larvae habitats come from garbage (Score:2, Informative)
Sure, the devices will be effective with large containers of standing water like lakes and ponds. But most sources of stagnant water come from garbage [cdc.gov], old tires [cdc.gov], and even plants [cdc.gov].
As the tire is the best man-made nursery for mosquito larvae with its stagnant water and ample shade, simply throwing away used tires correctly will do more to eliminate the mosquito threat than these devices. In fact, the Asian Tiger mosquito is