Switzerland has approved a 3D-printed “death pod” for legal use in the country.
This assisted suicide machine called “Sarco,” short for sarcophagus, promises a “painless death” and can be activated simply by blinking. Critics reportedly say the biodegradable pod, which has a futuristic look and can be taken anywhere — even a beautiful cliffside — without the need for tubes or monitoring equipment, is glamorizing assisted suicide. Others have compared it to a gas chamber.
The pod’s sleek design was chosen to “suggest a sense of occasion: of travel to a ‘new destination’ and to dispel the ‘yuk’ factor,” Exit International, the company that created the machine, says on its website.
With Sarco, there is no need for specialized skills, medical involvement or even expensive or difficult to obtain drugs, the company says. “The goal of Sarco is to remove the need for any assistance. This ensures any use of the Sarco is legal.”