longer.blue

“ China Built an AI Mosquito Death Ray Because Why Not If you’ve ever wanted to declare war on mosquitoes, China may have just developed your dream weapon. And yes, it involves lasers. A Chinese startup called Photon Matrix has developed a $1,000 device that uses artificial intelligence to track mosquitoes midflight and literally burn their wings off with a laser. During a demonstration, mosquitoes dropped from the air with tiny pops and flashes of green and blue light. The technology uses lidar, the same kind of sensing system found in self-driving cars, to locate tiny moving targets. AI-powered cameras are supposed to prevent the laser from firing at people, pets, or reflective surfaces. But there’s a catch. This thing uses a Class 4 laser, the most powerful safety classification, which can permanently damage someone’s eyesight in less than a second. The company says it has built in multiple safeguards and is seeking regulatory approval. Here’s where my national security brain kicks in. A machine that can identify, track, and shoot tiny moving targets without a human pulling the trigger? Today, it’s mosquitoes. Tomorrow, similar technology could help target drones. Or worse. The company says it already has 5,000 prepaid orders, with mass production expected within weeks. So we’ve reached the point where AI can autonomously shoot mosquitoes, but we’re still figuring out how to make sure it doesn’t blind the neighbors. Welcome to the future. Pass the bug spray.” Via Olivia of Troye 🦟 The AI Mosquito Death Ray (NYTimes)