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VectorCatch: A Low-Cost, Locally Manufactured Mosquito Trap
- Program: Biomedical Engineering
- Course: EN.580.619/620 Principles and Practice of Global Health Innovation and Design
- Year: 2026
Project Description:
Malaria remains one of the world’s deadliest preventable diseases and the leading cause of child mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. Effective vector control depends on robust mosquito surveillance, yet over 80% of Ugandan districts cannot afford existing traps, which cost $200–$400 each. Without affordable surveillance tools, health authorities lack the data needed to deploy targeted interventions.
VectorCatch is a low-cost, locally manufactured, open-source mosquito trap developed to address this gap. Modeled on the CDC Miniature Light Trap (whose patent has expired), VectorCatch uses 5V consumer electronics, a solderless and swappable modular design, and rechargeable power banks in place of cumbersome 6V batteries. With a part cost of just over $7 and a landed cost of approximately $20 — one-twentieth the cost of the CDC Light Trap — VectorCatch enables a 20x expansion of surveillance capacity per dollar spent.
Project Photo:
The VectorCatch team traveled to Uganda for in-country testing of the traps and stakeholder interviews. They were able to gather key data points and gauge interest, which would inform further development plans upon their return.
