The Mosquito

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The Mosquito is a product made to drive away teenagers from no-loitering zones. Because the ability to hear high frequencies deteriorates with age (a phenomenon known as presbycusis), the Mosquito works by emitting high-frequency tones. According to Welsh inventor, Ig Nobel Prize winner for Peace Howard Stapleton, the tones can only reliably be heard by people younger than 20 and almost never heard by people older than 30. Short exposure has very little effect for someone entering a store where the device is externally installed, but the sound becomes very annoying for those wishing to be around the immediate area for longer than 10 minutes

The Mosquito was originally tested at one location in Newport, South Wales, where it was successful in reducing the number of teenagers loitering outside a grocery store. In spite of this, some adults and seniors were still able to hear the Mosquito. It has not been tested by hearing experts, however the tones are broadcast at 75 decibels, so they fall within the government's auditory-safety limits. The Mosquito was released into the mainstream market in 2006.

Some adolescents, however, have found the once annoying sound can be used as a tool, and turned it into a ringtone to prevent disciplinary actions that would normally be imposed if a cellular phone user was caught using their phones during school hours, by creating a cell phone ringtone that is inaudible to most adults.