In order to fight against mosquito bites, several smartphone applications promise to keep them away permanently using sound waves. But are they really effective?
Every summer evening, it’s the same. As soon as the light goes out above your bed, a characteristic high-pitched buzzing sound indicates the presence of one of the greatest enemies of hot weather: the mosquito. Increasingly present in our regions, attracted by rising temperatures, mosquitoes can transform in real daily nightmare. To scare them away: everything has been tried. Essential oils, specific lights, strident sounds or even insecticide radicals to diffuse in your room, not necessarily very recommended for your health.
Not all of these options are proven effective, but we’re ready for anything when it comes to seeing his little vampires disappear from our bedrooms. And that, the creators of applications for smartphones have understood. After yet another bite, you may have the reflex, or the curiosity, to go and see what free applications exist to keep mosquitoes away. “Insecticidal Mosquito Repellent”, “Mosquito Repellent Care”, “Ultrasonic Anti Pest and Insect”, there are several dozen of them on the App Store or the Play Store. The promise is enticing, and places them in the top 100 of the most popular applications: emitting waves capable of permanently repelling pests. But are they really effective?
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“Mosquitoes are attracted to natural odors like sweat”
Unfortunately, there is no scientific evidence that these apps have any influence on the behavior of mosquitoes. “The interest is average because thescientific effectiveness of this technology has never been documented by serious studies” explains to the Parisian Claude Grison, research director at the CNRS and specialist in ecochemistry. “Mosquitoes are attracted to natural odors like perspiration which they detect at least 10m away, an olfactory and biological repellent seems much more rational than such an electronic tool.”
Julien Long, co-founder of Wizap, a company that develops new mosquito repellents, drives the point home. “Using sound waves has never been an option for innovation against mosquitoes (…) The promise of these apps is enticing, but we have never come across this technology in Southeast Asian countries that are nevertheless fond of innovation and where mosquitoes are one problem to another ladder.” Against mosquitoes, it is better to stick to olfactory methods, such as lemongrass for example, which will be effective enough to upset mosquitoes. Not enough, however, to completely deter a hungry insect. Wizap is currently developing a mosquito trap lamp that imitates human smell and CO2 exhalation: the future best friend of the summer period.
Society/Sex/Psycho Journalist
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