Japanese Electric Flyswatter-Zapper

[u/JPPT1974]

[u/meta-radar]

Why does it stop zapping after they die? Are they not conducting anymore?

[u/SuperUranus → u/meta-radar]

It’s operated by a human.

It zaps the dead flys too when activated.

[u/Keisari_P → u/SuperUranus]

No, you could not select target with static setup like this. Current flows only where there is least amount if resistance.

The reason the electric arc is not continuous is that the fly does not itself form a permanent short circuit. It temporarily provides a conductive path through the air.

When the fly dies, its body quickly dries out and becomes charred. This changes its electrical properties, so it no longer provides a sufficiently conductive path to sustain the arc. Once the current stops, the ionized plasma channel in the air collapses almost immediately.

A living fly, on the other hand, contains a lot of water and is relatively conductive. When a new fly approaches the electrode, it distorts and concentrates the electric field enough to trigger a new discharge.

So the device doesn't necessarily detect whether the fly is alive or dead. The dead fly simply no longer meets the electrical conditions required to initiate or sustain the arc.

[u/SuperUranus → u/Keisari_P]

I didn’t say it selects a target. In fact, I said the complete opposite of that.

It’s operated by a human and zaps both dead and alive flys when activated. As you can clearly see in the video.