The mosquito ringtone is a recording of a very high pitched frequency usually about 17KHz or higher, adapted as a ringtone. The idea is that adults and parents can't hear it, so it can be used in school or other places where phones are supposed to be turned off.
How did they think of it?
A company called Compound Security in England created a product called the "ultrasonic youth deterrent". Their idea was that using high pitched ultrasonic frequencies they could blast annoying sounds that only kids could hear, preventing them from hanging out in areas where shopkeepers or other adults didn't want them. That idea didn't work to well, since what really happened is we found out about it and put it up here on the web and onto our phones.
Then it came out in the New York Times Mosquito Ringtone article to make it all world famous!
Trials have shown that teenagers are acutely aware of the Mosquito and move away from the area within just a couple of minuts…
How does it work?
The original mosquito ultrasonic youth deterrent is a small black box that sends out pulating sounds at 17KHz. It is harmless, but can be annoying to those who can hear it. Generally it becomes hard or impossible to hear to people who are older than twenty years old. The human hearing range is reduced as we age and through exposure to loud noises over many years.
It's not the same for everyone. Some people as old as 30 have reported being able to hear the mosquito, but most adults can hear nothing.
