Kite Patch Could Make Humans "Invisible" To Mosquitoes For 48 Hours

Depending on what part of the world you live in, mosquitoes can range from being an annoyance, to acting as carriers of life-threatening diseases such as malaria and West Nile virus. Sprays containing deet do a fairly decent job of keeping the mozzies at bay, but they’re also highly toxic.

Just in time for mosquito season, a new wearable patch claims to make you "invisible" to mosquitoes for 48 hours -- all while helping to battle malaria in the developing world. 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. Each disposable square patch measures just 1.5 inches (38 mm) per side, and is simply stuck onto the clothing like an adhesive decal.

Once exposed to the air, the Kite patch remains effective for 48 hours

Each disposable square kite patch measures just 1.5 inches (38 mm) per side

The patch works by blocking mosquitoes' ability to detect carbon dioxide in our breath, which is the bugs' primary way of finding you. 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.

Best part, it's nontoxic: the company says the active ingredient is considered safe by the US Food and Drug Administration and can be used by young children and pregnant women -- populations most affected by malaria in many countries.

"It will provide a new level of protection for children in Uganda, for young families in South Africa, and hikers in Seattle or Wyoming or Florida seeking a safer, socially-responsible solution," Grey Frandsen, chief marketing officer at ieCrowd, the company behind the patch, said in a statement.

"We built Kite to be simple and affordable -- a small colorful sticker that will appeal to children and adults and survive the rigors of extreme climates, play time, or outdoor recreation."

The Kite Patch -- backed by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the U.S.-based National Institutes of Health -- launched an Indiegogo campaign this week with the goal of raising $75,000, which it raised in just four days, with the total currently sitting at approximately $236,000.

As of July 23, the company had raised more than $150,000, with 38 days of the campaign remaining.

A pledge of $10 will send a pack of five Kites to a family in Uganda, while $35 will send 10 patches and also get you 10 of your own. An estimated retail price has yet to be established.

Future Trends

Kite Patch Could Make Humans "Invisible" To Mosquitoes For 48 Hours