Sarco, a suicide machine,
has been legalized in Switzerland. Now, people can take their own lives in a
relatively painless way, by inducing hypocapnia and hypoxia. The former is a
state of insufficient oxygen at the tissue level, while the latter occurs when
there is reduced carbon dioxide in the blood.

The 3D printed pod is shaped like a
coffin, and Sarco allows users to bring down the oxygen level to critical
levels, inside the glass capsule, merely by blinking their eye. The entire
process has been described as relatively peaceful and painless and takes less
than a minute.

Also Read | Euthanasia: Where it’s legal in Europe

Notably, Sarco is
short for sarcophagus, and is the brainchild of Dr. Philip Nitschke, dubbed ‘Dr.
Death’. As the name suggests, the device literally serves as a tomb for those
deciding to end their lives. There is a biodegradable capsule, which detaches
itself from the base and serves the purpose of a coffin.

Despite many features, this invention has faced criticism from several quarters. Expectedly,
some have pointed out that nitrogen enters the chamber, displacing oxygen,
drawing parallels to a gas chamber. Meanwhile, others have lashed out at the futuristic
device, stating it glorifies death.

The debate surrounding
euthanasia has been ongoing in several countries and many have raised valid
points on both sides regarding the ethics of taking one’s life. By extension,
the use of such devices has also been questioned. However, some countries have legalized
voluntary death considering patients who are terminally ill and might want to
end their suffering or might be recommended this process by their physicians.

Switzerland, where
assisted suicide is legal, witnessed around 1,300 people using the services of
euthanasia organizations like Exit and Dignitas, in the past year. However, in
both cases liquid barbiturates were provided, which could be ingested to induce
a deep coma, followed by death. Despite the naysayers, Sarco has passed legal
scrutiny in Switzerland, and reports suggest that it will be operation ready by
next year.