Few things can take the fun out of an outdoor excursion faster than a swarm of biting, pesky insects. Just wandering into your own backyard during the summer can create a feeding frenzy for mosquitoes — with you as the main course. But a new high-tech wearable promises to keep those annoying bugs at bay without having to spray yourself down with chemicals.
Guarden, a company that specializes in making products that help protect your home and garden from all manner of pests, has launched an Indiegogo campaign for its latest device, called the Bandito. This tiny gadget, which can be worn on a wristband or attached to your clothing or a backpack, features two different ways to keep mosquitoes away from the wearer.
The first line of defense that the Bandito offers is the use of sonic waves set at a frequency that repels a variety of different types of bugs. The sound is imperceptible to the human ear, and won’t bother pets either, but will quickly drive mosquitoes away. The device also uses non-toxic scent strips to release an odor that will smell good to humans but will repel bugs. Those scents include citronella, peppermint, and lemongrass. Each of these methods is highly effective on its own, but when combined with one another, they should greatly reduce the number of insect bites that you’ll receive while outside.
An individual Banditio is built for consistent use throughout a single season. It comes with an internal battery that can function for about 500 hours, while each scent strip lasts about two weeks before it must be replaced. The device ships with 12 strips, which is enough to cover three months of consistent use outdoors. Those numbers are based on using the Banditio for up to 5.5 hours each day.
Guarden was hoping to raise $25,000 to get the Bandito into production but easily surpassed that goal in just one day. That means the device should go into production later this summer and begin shipping to customers in August at a price of $35. Early bird supporters can order a Banditio now, but of course, it is always important to understand the risks of supporting any crowdfunding campaign.
Guarden has also announced that it will donate 1 percent of the profits to Malaria No More, a nonprofit dedicated to stamping out malaria across the globe.
