NEW DELHI – South-Korean mobile manufacturer LG has recently released the world’s first mosquito repellent smartphone, which uses ultrasonic sound waves to keep the pesky bloodsuckers at bay.
The LG K7i was unveiled at the India Mobile Congress last week, and may soon become a best-seller in mosquito-infested countries, Asia One reported.
The K7i is for sale exclusively in India and is priced at 7,990 rupees (US$166).
It features LG’s “Mosquito Away” technology which can allegedly repel mosquitoes with the help of ultrasonic sound waves.
The innovative technology, which has already been integrated into other LG gadgets like TV sets and air conditioners, uses no chemicals and requires no refills. Instead, it pumps 30KHz ultrasonic sound waves through a mesh speaker on the back of the phone to keep mosquitoes away.
The special rear cover is bundled in the K7i smartphone kit, along with a stand for the phone, in case you want to use it specifically as a mosquito repellent in an area of your home.
The ultrasonic waves are said to be very effective at repelling the pesky pugs, but are “absolutely safe and harmless for humans”.
The manufacturer has announced that it will only be available in India in the near future, although it is considering launching “Mosquito Away” smartphones in other countries, in the future.
LG claims that its Mosquito Away technology has passed multiple tests and has been certified by India’s International Institute of Biotechnology and Toxicology. The company adds that its new K7i smartphone managed to repel 72% of mosquitoes during testing.
With Indians spending over $700 millions on home insecticides every year, the LG K7i mosquito-repelling phone is set to become a success, and sifting through the comment sections of several tech sites, it seems like people really want it in countries like Indonesia and Thailand as well.
