Individual Project
Drishti
Murtaza
Tithi
Timeline
10 Weeks
Achievements
Design Registration Patent
Selected to represent my school in presenting this project to Tim Cook, CEO of Apple.
Challenge
Roughly 390 million people are infected each year with dengue, and hundreds of thousands more are affected by Zika, chikungunya and yellow fever. Yet most mosquito repellents rely on toxic chemicals like DEET, posing health and environmental risks. Existing solutions are either short-term, require power, or involve harmful aerosols, making them unsustainable. There is a need for a safe, eco-friendly, and long-lasting alternative that effectively reduces mosquito populations without toxicity or maintenance hassles.
Solution
Trickz is a battery-free, electricity-free mosquito inhibitor that uses an organic, slow-release toxic sugar bait system. Designed for homes, outdoor spaces, and rural areas, it offers a sustainable, hands-free solution to mosquito-borne diseases like malaria and dengue. Unlike traditional repellents, Trickz targets mosquitoes at their sugar-feeding stage, preventing bites before host-seeking. Safe for humans, pets, and the environment, it works silently for 30 days with no maintenance, making it an innovative and eco-friendly alternative.
Impact
- Reduces mosquito populations by up to 95% in 15 days
- Empowered communities—especially in low-resource or rural areas—with an affordable, low-maintenance tool for safer living.
- Reduced maintenance by 90%
Market Study
Deaths due to mosquito bites increase exponentially every year. Most insect repellents on the market are loaded with toxic chemicals, including DEET, which is so poisonous that even the Environmental Protection Agency says you should wash it off your skin when you return indoors, avoid breathing it in.
Material
Titanium dioxide – Mosquitos identify humans by the scent of carbon dioxide exhaled by humans. Titanium Dioxide mimics this human behavior and releases carbon dioxide tricking the mosquito of human presence.
How does it work?
Attractive toxin sugar bait builds its foundation upon two main facts.
1. Mosquitos need sugar more than blood.
2. Feeding sugar can keep mosquito bites away.
Attractive Toxin Sugar Bait
- The concept exploits the sugar feeding behaviour of mosquitoes, attracting them to sugar feed from a source containing an insecticidal ingredient.
- They broadly consist of boric acid as the oral toxin, a sugar component – unrefined cane sugar as the sugar source – to encourage feeding on the ATSB, and a scented component – fruit, flowers, seeds and other scented material taken from local plants known to be popular feeding sources for mosquitos.
- They are technologically appropriate as they are simple and affordable to produce.
- The bait targets mosquitoes when they are sugar feeding rather than host seeking or resting, which are traditionally targeted by LLINs, IRS and ATSBs.
