Just in time for the summer bug season comes this news about a patch you may one day wear to shield your identity – from mosquitoes! The Kite Patch was developed by Olfactor Laboratories, and works like DEET — blocking mosquitoes’ carbon dioxide receptors. Researchers say the chemicals used are so safe they are considered “food grade flavors” by the Food and Drug Administration.
Mosquito defense may have a new secret weapon.It looks like a nicotine patch, but the little diamond-shaped Kite Patch is laced with a very special sauce that its developers claim can protect whomever wears it from mosquito bites for up to 48 hours.
For many, mosquitoes are merely annoying, but in many parts of the world they spread malaria, a deadly disease that is far more dangerous than many health authorities had previously guessed.
The average mosquito has long-range sensors that can sense the carbon dioxide humans emit through their breath from up to a half-mile away. The mosquito’s sensing organ, the maxillary palp, contains a neuron called the cpA neuron that pings the mosquito’s brain when it senses CO2.
The active ingredient and most effective commercially available mosquito repellent is DEET, which works by confusing these
Via Olfactor Laboratory
sensors. But some research suggests it can be toxic, especially to children. It is also a bit too expensive for everyday use, especially in the poorer countries stricken with mosquito-borne diseases. Oh yeah, and it melts plastic. Yikes.
I spotted this article over at Mashable.com today and thought I’d share it. What a great example of how Coca-Cola can tap into crowdsourcing in real time to understand how fans and customers think drinks. And for customers who live in a larger town, there is a good chance they can take their ideas and…
Imagine a car that has a negative carbon footprint. In China, a new concept car called the 2030 Yez is the first automobile that promises to remove more pollution from the air than it creates. It’s an electric car that also combines several other technologies. The photo looks like something out of this world, doesn’t…
I am excited to launch a new partnership for Innovationedge: Inforum is a way to bring together thought leaders from all across northeast Wisconsin to collaborate on innovative ideas. For Inforum, we teamed up with Insight on Business Magazine, and one look at this cutting-edge online publication and you’ll see why Insight is an excellent…
One of my good friends Brian Fried, host of Got Invention Radio, invited me to come on his show for a four-part series, which aired late last week. You can listen online or download it here. Got Invention Radio is a wonderful show where inventors can call into the program and discuss their innovation ideas…
Could the smallest commercial gimmick in the world become a new trend in advertising? Maybe not, but I couldn’t resist posting this innovative and unconventional way of delivering messages to customers. At this year’s 2009 Frankfurt Book Fair a German book company, Eichborn, decided to create an ad campaign that was highly unusual, but effective…
Color used in advertizing and branding can inspire, create excitement, or even make one wistful for bygone days. The color studies I’ve seen go way beyond trends and right into key learnings about our psyches and what makes us tick. It’s a fascinating phenomenon, and one that global corporations have leveraged for years. But now…
