We have been anxiously awaiting video of the Bill Gates-funded Weapon of Mosquito Destruction (WMD) ever since first learning about it this past March. The handheld laser, developed by astrophysicists and former Microsoft exec Nathan Myhrvold, locates and kills individual mosquitoes by detecting the audio frequency of their beating wings. There’s a fun factor of murdering mosquitoes with lasers, sure, but the WMD could also help curb the spread of mosquito-borne malaria.

Attendees at this week’s TED conference got to witness the WMD’s laser track live mosquitoes. The laser didn’t actually zap the mosquitoes in the demonstration, but don’t fret–Myhrvold’s Intellectual Ventures Lab has graciously released a video of the laser burning mosquitoes to a crisp. No word on when the device will be released commercially, but Intellectual Ventures is reportedly evaluating the cost-effectiveness of bringing the laser to malaria-stricken Africa.

[Via Wired Epicenter]