In China, an AI device catches mosquitoes in mid-flight and burns them with a laser
Photon Matrix, in Changzhou, sells a device that targets insects with technology from autonomous cars for US$1,000.
BY THE X-TRADER NEWS NEWSROOM · REPORTING FROM INFOMONEY · 2 MIN
In Changzhou, China, the company Photon Matrix started selling an anti-mosquito device for US$1,000. According to InfoMoney, the device uses artificial intelligence to track insects as they fly and then burn them with a laser on their wings. An old problem thus gains a high-tech solution.
The machine is white and the size of a brick. It was shown in a recent demonstration at the Photon Matrix offices. According to the report, the device killed mosquitoes one after another, and each insect was surrounded by a blue or green flame accompanied by a pop.
The most interesting part, according to InfoMoney, is how the equipment decides what to do. Target location comes from technology developed for autonomous cars, and artificial intelligence defines when it is safe to fire. Perception systems designed for traffic are, therefore, applied to an object for domestic use.
What is at stake goes beyond fighting insects. The case illustrates a movement that is of interest to those who follow technology and the market: computer vision and automatic decision-making components are no longer restricted to vehicles and reach consumer products. In a free competition economy, this type of knowledge transfer can open up space for new entrants, as long as each product proves useful for the price charged.
The available data on the case does not provide sales, customer, certification or effectiveness figures outside of the demonstration. Without this information, the episode functions more as a sign of direction than proof of scale.
What changes for the investor
For the investor, the case is a sector signal, not a recommendation. The data collected does not inform whether Photon Matrix has shares traded on the stock exchange or what its financial situation is, so there is no basis for estimating a direct impact on prices. What is worth monitoring is whether the combination of computer vision and physical applications gains commercial traction, especially in companies that already work with sensors and automation. Before drawing any conclusions on the subject, those who invest in technology must observe sales results and margins.
Automatically translated from Portuguese.
