For some time electric flyswatters have been available at giveaway prices. Made with a metal grid and a plastic handle, they look rather like miniature tennis racquets. Two AA-size batteries produce a voltage in the region of 1 to 3 kV and use this to charge a small capacitor. This level of energy is just enough to annihilate mozzies (mosquitoes) and render house flies unflightworthy for just a short while. This project describes some improved high-voltage electronics that take us right to the limits of what is technically achievable.
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