Here is another example of the entrepreneurial penchant for empathy as prime mover of innovations.
For you, mosquitoes are a huge–but mostly benign–annoyance. Except for some itching, there isn’t much to a mosquito bite. But in the rest of the world–despite enormous efforts by aid agencies and others–mosquito-borne diseases remain an incredibly large part of the global health problem. The World Health Organization says there were 219 million cases of malaria in 2010, resulting in 660,000 deaths, mostly in Africa. And that’s before we mention Dengue and West Nile.
The Kite Patch is a simple fix that aims to replace today’s sprays and lotions (or leapfrog them entirely in the developing world, where they’re not available). A sticker you attach to your shirt, it contains chemicals that stop mosquitos from sensing CO2, and therefore knowing you are close. It effectively makes wearers “invisible,” according to its developers, and lasts for up to 48 hours.
via 1 | Can This Patch Make You Invisible To Mosquitoes? | Co.Exist: World changing ideas and innovation
Thanks, Jack