Forget insect repellent sprays, lotions, snakes and machines. South Korean electronics company LG has launched a new TV model in India that claims to repel pesky mosquitoes without any sound or smell.
The LG Mosquito Away TV works along the lines of the company's air conditioner that was launched in Indonesia in 2009 and India in 2014. It comes with an ultrasonic device, which emits sound waves to drive mosquitoes away.
LG says the device uses no chemicals and requires no refilling or maintenance. The best part? You don't even have to turn on the TV to make it work. The company says the TV has been developed using insights from Indian consumers and that its technology is in line with global standards.
The TV has been launched only in India, priced at Rs 26,900 ($403) for the 80cm screen and Rs 47,500 ($712) for the 108cm screen. Insects are a health threat in the country, with over 1.13 million people in India affected by diseases such as dengue fever, chikungunya and malaria.
This television represents a huge market, but the actual effectiveness of the technology remains questionable.
Scientific studies show that ultrasonic devices have no effect on preventing mosquito bites. The TV is the latest in a series of gadgets and apps that claim to repel mosquitoes. LG's mosquito-repellent air conditioners target malaria-carrying mosquitoes, but they shouldn't be the only measure you take against mosquitoes. Experts also pointed out that air conditioners tend to kill the insects anyway.
In 2012, a Brazilian radio station broadcast high-frequency waves as part of a mosquito-fighting campaign that was recently imitated by an Indian radio station. Taking a different route, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is spending $1 million to fund a research project that creates laser walls to repel mosquitoes.
