Bedbug Defense Gadget

Bedbugs, which have been around longer than humankind, have received escalated attention in the past year or so. The cause of the sudden fuss was their infestation of Manhattan south of 96th Street. Until then, bedbugs were as remote to Manhattan's prosperous set as foreclosures and unemployment were. They were "other people's problems" until the unwanted creatures crossed the moat formed by the Hudson, East, and Harlem Rivers. Once their rampant appearances made Manhattan a problematic venue to visit and to shop, bedbugs suddenly became a "national issue." Smart minds were tasked to eliminate the pesky creatures before they ruined in New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's sleep.

One mechanical solution has recently reached the commercial marketplace. It's a vacuum that apparently doesn't bother with dirt or dust, but focuses on the dastardly bedbug. The gadget uses UV light to eliminate the bugs. The New York Times ran a brief story earlier this year on the $400 gadget. Think of it as a "must have" gadget in the city that has everything.