Mosquito Bites Don’t Hurt

Function

Have you ever felt the prick from a needle when you when you were given a shot for a vaccination, had blood taken for analysis, or given anesthesia? Even if you know it will just be for an instant, the moment in which you get pricked by the needle is unpleasant. Why is it, then, that we do not also feel it when we are bitten by a mosquito? The secret is in the shape of the mosquito’s “needle,” its mouth. The needle is made up of a smooth material called chitin, is extremely thin at only 80 micrometers (8/100mm!), and has a tip that is jagged like a saw. This needle does not pierce the skin, but rather undulates, pushing aside skin and muscle cells, gnawing as it cuts through. The needle itself is very fine, and its tip is jagged, so it has only minimal contact with the skin, minimizing friction. In this way, mosquitos can bite and suck blood from humans and animals without them noticing.

Functional Classification

Efficiency(Energy Saving, Resource Saving, Light):
Bite/sting

Environmental Solution Classification

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Technical Application

Products and Services

Type of Business

Proposals of Applied Technology

People must take daily injections of insulin to treat diabetes. If a needle was developed that was not painful, patients would be relieved of the psychological stress of the injections. And for small children who have to get many vaccinations, this might keep them from being afraid of or hurt by needles.

Proposals of Applied Industry

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