Wireless Sensor Networks for Killing Mosquitoes

aaditeshwar writes "It looks like sensor networks have some applications afterall, other than the usual stuff for defense and US military! AmBio has created a wireless mesh network of bugspraying "magnets" that report back data on the temperature, air conditions, and wind directions, and a central controller uses this data to turn ON or OFF the magnets in different areas. They plan to cover entire cities with such wireless meshes, and create an anti-mosquito shield around the city!"

Comments

Re:And the effects on other species?

[ultranova]

Great, we'll rid the city of mosquitos... What about natural predation and balance in areas where these systems are deployed? There are species that depend on the these "pests" for survival?

If they don't have mosquitos, let them eat flys !

I know that there are concerns with insect born illness, but that these problems can and in my opinion be solved without wiping out an entire species from an ecosystem, no matter how annoying they are.

I can think of several species I'd like to have wiped out of the ecosystem. Namely, mosquitos, flu, malaria, plague...

But if you are so worried about nasty biting insects and horrible diseases being wiped out, then by all means, go and ask to be infected by smallpox, which, after all, is on the verge of extinction.

Is it just me, or does this seem a little extreme...?

It is just you. No one else wants mosquitos around.

Re:Vapourware?

[flyinwhitey]

And what about the OTHER disease mosquitos spread?

Right. Let the adults talk about this for a while.