Death by suicide will have “style and elegance” in the near future, or at least that’s what the inventor of the first 3D-printed “suicide device” has to say.
Dr. Philip Nitschke (also known as Dr. Death) is the founder of Exit International and a long-time euthanasia campaigner. The last few years, he has been making waves with his upcoming product, “Sarco” (short for sarcophagus).
Nitschke and Dutch engineer Alex Bannink co-designed what’s essentially a death pod.
Sarco is a 3-D printed device that consists of a detachable capsule (or coffin), mounted on a stand containing liquid nitrogen. Once inside the capsule, the occupant can commit suicide through inert gas asphyxiation with the simple press of a button.
The Exit International website currently boasts that “Sarco X is almost ready for lift off.”
According to Philip Nitschke in a guest post he wrote for Huffington Post:
“A Sarco death is painless. There’s no suffocation, choking sensation or ‘air hunger’ as the user breathes easily in a low-oxygen environment. The sensation is one of well-being and intoxication.”
Nitschke explains that death will occur within one minute, the user loses consciousness before panic can even set in.
As crazy as death by a suicide device may sound at first, Sarco could be a far more peaceful way to go for those suffering from a terminal illness.
The concept as a whole is still a bit … problematic.
Euthanasia is currently legal in some parts of the United States as well as Canada, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Colombia. Of course, it’s only legal under certain circumstances.
Some jurisdictions treat a person’s own suicide attempt as a crime – it’s also illegal to encourage someone to take their own life. Which brings us to the question… how could offering something like Sarco be legal?
Currently, the plans are to make the death capsule available on the Internet, free.
People will be able to assemble the 3D-printed capsule, climb inside, and end their life at any location they choose.
Meaning, it will be available anywhere in the world regardless of the jurisdiction’s laws on suicide and assisted suicide. Since it’s online, there doesn’t seem to be a foolproof way for authorities to regulate who gets it. Since it’s a free, open source project, modifications to the original design (with their own potential flaws) can also be expected.
According to Nitschke, “Potential users for the real deal will have to fill out an online test to gauge their mental fitness. If passed, they will then receive an access code valid for 24 hours. Once the code is entered, another confirmation from the user must be given.”
But really, what defines “mental fitness” when determining to end one’s own life?
If anyone has access, that implies it isn’t meant just for the terminally ill. How would this system filter out those who are trying to end their life over something as temporary as heartbreak or hormones? Or would it even bother to do so?
What happens to the pod after death?
Well, that’s a pretty simple process as well. The biodegradable capsule doubles as a coffin and can be put directly in the ground.
For anyone curious about the experience, there is currently a virtual reality simulation available.
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