A Chinese startup is betting American consumers will pay nearly $1,000 for a laser-equipped device that hunts and kills mosquitoes in midair, as the pest-control gadget arrives on the market at the same time California is logging its worst West Nile virus activity in five years.

The company, Photon Matrix, is selling an indoor version of its laser mosquito air-defense system for $988, along with an outdoor blue laser model starting at $1,088. The devices use a combination of lidar, radar and AI-based vision to detect and confirm a mosquito before firing a targeted laser at the insect, according to the company.

The outdoor unit is marketed for use on patios, campsites and outdoor dinner settings. Company-released videos show the device firing bright blue flashes at flying targets as it tracks them through the air.

According to Photon Matrix, the outdoor version scans a 20-foot field extending 90 degrees in front of the device and is designed to detect insects as small as 2 millimeters moving at speeds up to 3.3 feet per second. A rotating base gives the system 360-degree coverage, and the company says a single charge from a power bank can keep the unit running for........

© International Business Times