$1K laser mosquito zapper promises precision strikes as backers itch for answers

Do you love lasers and hate mosquitoes? For $1,000, you can install your very own bug-zapping surface-to-air missile rig at home - no military-grade budget required, provided the startup behind it delivers on its promises. The Chinese company behind Photon Matrix has opened pre-orders for its consumer-grade mosquito zappers after videos of early prototypes began circulating in July 2025. The devices resemble home theater projectors in both size and appearance, and can be deployed wherever their owner has an acute mosquito problem. They use LiDAR to locate the pests, a galvo system to track their movement, and a laser to zap the bug in mid-air, according to the vendor. Photon Matrix Lab, based in Changzhou, China, markets the device as a chemical-free alternative to mosquito repellents and insecticides. The company said the device is intended for use inside the home, including bedrooms and nurseries. Official images show it sitting on a nightstand or mounted on the wall above a bed. According to the marketing materials, mosquito haters can choose between a visible blue laser and an invisible infrared beam to take out the bloodsuckers, and the devices have an effective range of six meters. In addition to mosquitoes, the device is supposedly capable of taking out other winged irritants measuring between 2 mm and 20 mm, provided they fly no faster than 1 meter per second. You can watch it in action below. Photon Matrix can now be pre-ordered in the US, UK excluding Northern Ireland, EU, Australia, and China, with the website promising shipment within 120 days. It has taken the company more than a year to get to this stage. It first documented a working prototype in June 2025 and, after a lengthy period of R&D and more than $2.8 million raised via Indiegogo, the devices have entered mass production, according to the vendor. However, this lengthy period of development has led to unease among backers, as has the lack of assurances that the device can meet safety standards in the markets the company intends to enter. Photon Matrix Lab's most recent update on laser safety compliance (and its third most recent update overall) came in June 2026, when it said certification applications remained in progress. "All mandatory safety and quality certifications for the laser mosquito killer are currently in progress steadily, strictly complying with international laser safety standards and electronic product specifications to ensure global market accessibility and user safety," it said in the update. Several of the backers on the comments thread below the post said they were concerned about compliance, citing the terms of service, which state that customers are responsible for ensuring it is legal to import the product into their own country. The project's creator, calling himself Jim Wong, responded directly in the thread with what AI text checkers determined to be an LLM-aided or generated message acknowledging the issue, but provided no assurances that Photon Matrix Lab would address it. "Thank you for the thoughtful message - and I hear your point. You're right that backers need clear certification information to make an informed decision, and we take that responsibility seriously." Wong went on to say that refunds were available until an order shipped, but made no commitment to verify the product's legality in each destination market, which to be fair, is not unusual, as many border agents will attest. In the past week, Indiegogo backers have also expressed concern that the company has not addressed whether the lasers could interfere with aircraft. Other backers claim repeated refund requests have gone unanswered, while several have questioned whether the product is legitimate. The Register contacted the company for more information. (R)