The University of the West Indies (The UWI), Cave Hill Campus is in the process of developing a groundbreaking, anti-mosquito product powered by renewable energy. The prototype, known as the Renewable Energy-powered Silent Terminator (REST), is poised to revolutionise the fight against mosquito-borne diseases, such as dengue, Zika, and chikungunya.
Spearheaded by teams from the Faculty of Social Sciences (FSS) and Centre for Biosecurity Studies (CBS), known as Biosecure Inc., the initiative is generously funded by the FirstCaribbean International Bank and Export Barbados. The current prototype was built by FaSoVe, a company associated with The UWI, St. Augustine Campus and known for its multidisciplinary team who propels ideas through the innovation process and deliver market-ready solutions. REST is designed to tackle the persistent issue of mosquito-borne diseases and operates by attracting and killing flying, biting insects using green energy, thereby eliminating the need for harmful toxic chemicals such as insecticides.
The initiative has already received major recognition. Biosecure Inc. was the recipient of the Most Promising Innovation award during the Innovate! Cave Hill competition in 2022. The award, totalling USD$8,000, was presented for their cutting-edge product. The team, comprising Mrs. Ayanna Young Marshall, Professor Troy Lorde, and Dr. Kirk Douglas, developed the product using a proprietary blend of novel attractants to selectively target female, flying, biting insects. The solar-powered device is designed to last up to 24 hours on a full charge in an outdoor setting, contributing to a cleaner, healthier environment and reducing harmful climate impact.
Douglas, Director of the Centre for Biosecurity Studies, emphasised the importance of REST in the fight against mosquito-borne diseases. However, he cautioned that this device should be viewed as another tool in the arsenal to fight and not to exclusively replace all other means of reducing the mosquito and sandfly populations and their related dangers.
“This device is meant to coincide with the other strategies currently available in the fight, especially in terms of keeping your surroundings tidy or even trying to reduce the number of breeding sites near and around the home or property.
Flying, biting insects, particularly prevalent in tropical climates, pose a significant threat, with tourists often falling victim to their blood-feeding exploits. The Caribbean, drawing over 25 million international tourists annually, faces the risk of infectious diseases such as dengue, Zika, chikungunya, malaria, yellow fever, West Nile, and leishmaniasis. With over one million deaths and 340 million infections annually, and at least four billion people at risk, the need for effective mosquito and sandfly control is paramount.
