What is 'Tesla of euthanasia'? How does a suicide pod work and help in assisted death? Know in detail.

Dubbed the 'Tesla of euthanasia', the portable suicide pod Sarco has been waiting for its first patient since it was allowed to give a peaceful, painless, and assisted death without the requirement of medical supervision. The futuristic-looking 3D-printed capsule fills its chamber with nitrogen. It reduces the oxygen levels rapidly so that the patient gets unconscious in the first few minutes and dies within ten minutes, reports 'New York Post'. All this can be done simply by pressing a button. A blink, gesture, or voice control can also activate the suicide pod. Eye movement can activate it for those who can not vocally communicate due to severe illness or mobility issues.

Sarco: The Suicide pod

The Last Resort, Switzerland’s human rights non-profit association focused on assisted suicide, unveiled the suicide pod at the Venice Design Festival in 2019. Fiona Stewart, a member of the advisory board and COO of the nonprofit also presented Sarco in Zurich on July 17, 2024.

First use of 'Tesla of euthanasia'?

She said in a press conference that the first use of Sarco will “take place pretty soon”. However, no decisions have been made about the time, date, and place of the first use of the suicide pod. It is also not known who will be the first user of the 'Tesla of euthanasia'.

Voluntary assisted suicide

Voluntary assisted suicide is legal in Switzerland since 1940. However, assisting suicide is a crime done for 'selfish' reasons under Article 115 of the Swiss Criminal Code. The Swiss authorities have demanded to ban the use of device and anyone using it to assist in someone else’s death should face jail time.

Will suicide pods be banned?

According to the Swiss newspaper 'Blick', Public Prosecutor Peter Stiche has said that there could be “serious consequences” for the operators of the machine. He argued that there is no reliable information about the method of killing and it is not clear who has control over which mechanical process during the dying process.

Who is called Dr. Death?

Founder of Exit International, Philip Nitschke, invented the suicide pod. He has been nicknamed 'Dr. Death' and accused of trying to 'glamorize' the act of ending one’s life. Sarco, short for sarcophagus. It doubles as a coffin and is made of biodegradable materials.

FAQs

What is a portable suicide pod?
Portable suicide pod Sarco is a futuristic capsule that can be used for assisted euthanasia without medical supervision. A patient can kill himself in this capsule by pressing a button. A blink, gesture, or voice control can also activate the suicide pod.

How does a suicide pod work?
The futuristic-looking capsule fills its chamber with nitrogen. It reduces the oxygen levels rapidly so that the patient becomes unconscious in the first few minutes and dies within ten minutes.