This $1000 gadget takes out mosquitoes with lasers like a tiny air defense system

Credit: Photon Matrix Published Aug 16, 2026, 12:55 PM EDT Patrick O'Rourke is XDA's News Editor and Entertainment Segment Lead. Previously, he was Pocket-lint's Editor-in-Chief, the Editor-in-Chief of Canadian tech publication MobileSyrup, and earlier in his career, he worked as the technology editor at the Financial Post and Postmedia. He's based in Toronto. Over the past 15 years, he's written thousands of articles. Patrick has also interviewed dozens of tech industry executives and covered GDC, E3, Gamescom, WWDC, Apple keynotes, Samsung Unpacked events and more. Patrick has a BA in journalism from Toronto Metropolitan University. Sign in to your XDA account Summary This wild laser mosquito system uses LiDAR, mmWave radar, and AI to track and zap bugs up to 6m within 90°. It detects insects 2–20 mm in size and uses AI vision to detect tiny targets. The consumer version costs $1,000 (IR); it's certified safe for people, pets, and birds. As far as tech gadgets go, this one is pretty out-there, and in some ways, it sounds like something pulled straight from a sci-fi movie. The Photon Matrix, which launched on Indiegogo last July, can shoot down mosquitoes within a 6-meter radius across a 90-degree horizontal field of view (via Tom's Hardware). Though the laser beam handles the mosquito killing, the device also uses LiDAR, mmWave radar, and a unique AI vision module to detect tiny targets between 2mm and 20mm in size that are moving at or below 3.3 feet (1 meter) per second. Of course, all this high-end technology comes at a steep $1,000 cost for the infrared laser version designed for homes. There's also a blue laser version of the tiny insect defense system that costs $1,088. The Photon Matrix isn't vaporware either, with the company behind the project stating the gadget has entered production and that the first consumer devices will ship later this month. You can also purchase both versions of the Photon Matrix directly from the company's website. The futuristic zapping gadget could become the go-to way to take down mosquitoes It's an "intelligent mosquito air defense system." If a laser capable of killing bugs being shot around humans sounds more than a bit unsafe, particularly for human eyes, you aren't alone. However, the device has passed strict certification to ensure it won't harm people, pets, or birds, according to its Indiegogo page. It also seems to be usable both indoors and outdoors. Seeing the Photon Matrix in action (check it out in the video above) is pretty wild. It looks like a laser show focused solely on clearing the skies of pesky mosquitoes. If it actually works and the technology that powers it gets considerably cheaper in a few years, the Photon Matrix and similar devices could eventually become the go-to way to protect your backyard and patio from pesky mosquitoes. $1,000 is obviously a lot of money to spend on something like this. Still, if the Photon Matrix can keep my backyard mosquito-free all summer long, I'd definitely consider buying one, even at that very high price.