Use Your Cell Phone To Track Mosquitoes

A very high percentage of us have cell phones, right? We use them on a daily basis to communicate with our nearest and dearest or perhaps to assist us in business. However, there’s a new reason why having technology at our fingertips could be of huge benefit. It’s possible that we are able to help researchers to identify species and track mosquitoes. Here’s more information…

This scientist wants your help tracking mosquitoes—and all you need is a cellphone

Mosquitoes can be deadly, transmitting malaria, dengue, and Zika. But tracking them is tough. Now, researchers—led by bioengineer Manu Prakash of Stanford University in Palo Alto, California—have developed a new, cheap way to monitor these insects with mobile phones and a Shazam-like app that tells them apart based on their “songs.” Most mosquito species can be identified by the frequency of their wingbeats, so the web app—aptly named Abuzz—lets users upload recordings of mosquito sounds, identify the species, and map its location.

The app works by using the sound recording device on your phone. However, the challenge may be actually getting close enough to this pesky bug to be able to record its buzz!

We’re not quite sure about the ‘really nice’ music that you could compose with the sound, but if it’s a step towards identifying and implementing further methods of mosquito control, then this is a great way that everyone can get involved in the fight against mosquitoes.

You can now track mosquitoes through your mobile phones

Scientists have figured out a way of tracking and getting rid of the annoying mosquitoes carrying harmful diseases simply through our mobile phones.
Scientists at Stanford University have created a mosquito monitoring platform ‘Abuzz’ to develop the most detailed global map of mosquito distribution. All people would have to do is record the mosquito buzzing and submit it to Abuzz.

It’s not just smart phones that will be able to do this. Other cell phones such as flip phones will work too, as long as they have a recording device. Cell phones have come a very long way over the last decade, let’s use them for all they are capable for, for a better, healthier and hopefully mosquito borne disease reduced future.