{"id":4438,"date":"2018-04-16T10:40:46","date_gmt":"2018-04-16T02:10:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/exitinternational.net\/?p=4438"},"modified":"2018-04-16T19:47:00","modified_gmt":"2018-04-16T11:17:00","slug":"4438-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.euthanasia.net\/exit\/4438-2\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Sarco\u2019 Death Pod That Lets Users Kill Themselves Showcased"},"content":{"rendered":"

A 3D-printed euthanasia device that will assist users to kill themselves was displayed for the first time on Saturday (April 14)\u00a0during a funeral fair in Amsterdam. Dubbed \u2018Sarco,\u2019\u00a0short for sarcophagus, the model was revealed alongside a virtual reality (VR) demonstration which let attendees experience\u00a0the pod in action.<\/p>\n

The device first\u00a0hit the headlines last year after prototype designs were released by its two creators, Australian euthanasia activist Dr. Philip Nitschke,\u00a0who has been nicknamed \u201cDr. Death,\u201d\u00a0and Dutch engineer Alexander Bannink. In 1997, Nitschke founded the \u2018end-of-life\u2019 non-profit organization Exit International.<\/p>\n

\"Funeral<\/a><\/p>\n

The Sarco provides death by hypoxia, or low levels of oxygen, and is designed to be portable. It will come\u00a0with a built-in detachable coffin and its inventors claim that a fully-functioning version will be built this year, after which the blueprints will be made open source and published online for anyone to access and download.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn many countries suicide is not against the law, only assisting a person to commit suicide is,\u201d Nitschke told Agence France-Presse (AFP) at the event.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a situation where one person chooses to press a button rather than for instance standing in front of a train.\u00a0I believe it\u2019s a fundamental human right [to choose when to die]. It\u2019s not just some medical privilege for the very sick. If you\u2019ve got the precious gift of life, you should be able to give that gift away at the time of your choosing.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to AFP, the funeral fair drew a crowd of thousands but the device had a mixed reception. \u201cI think it\u2019s quite silly,\u201d Rob, 52, told the news agency.<\/p>\n

A press release that was published prior to the weekend funeral event stated: \u201cThe Sarco will sit on a generator using liquid nitrogen. To activate Sarco, a person would step inside, lie down and, when ready, press the button. While being very peaceful, the hypoxic death will also have style and elegance.<\/p>\n

In an op-ed published in The Huffington Post<\/strong><\/em><\/a> this year, Nitschke explained how the suicide machine is intended to work. He said that all potential customers would have to fill out an \u201conline test\u201d to judge their mental fitness. If they pass the examination, they will be given a code to the Sarco that is valid for 24 hours.<\/p>\n

From there, the user enters the code and the final death process begins. The creator said that \u201cliquid nitrogen in the generator is released, rapidly bringing down the oxygen level in the capsule.\u201d Nitschke claimed it was painless, stating: \u201cWithin a minute, the user loses consciousness; death comes a short time later.\u201d<\/p>\n

But he conceded: \u201cThe Sarco will not be for everyone, that\u2019s clear.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A 3D-printed euthanasia device that will assist users to kill themselves was displayed for the first time on Saturday (April 14)\u00a0during a funeral fair in Amsterdam. Dubbed \u2018Sarco,\u2019\u00a0short for sarcophagus, the model was revealed alongside a virtual reality (VR) demonstration which let attendees experience\u00a0the pod in action. The device first\u00a0hit the headlines last year after […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0},"categories":[30],"tags":[96,95,25,16,15,35],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n