North Carolina State University has an eerie vomiting machine that was built by scientists to study how pathogens spread between humans. 20 million Americans each year suffer from norovirus, a nasty stomach bug that causes inflammation and leads to pain, diarrhea, vomiting and occasionally even death.
This vomiting machine replicates the body parts that play a crucial role to the process of barfing -- the stomach, esophagus and mouth. The system uses tubes, a pressure chamber and a discomfort-laden clay face sealed inside a plexiglass box. The machine allows the researchers to control the pressure, volume and angle of the vomit.
While gross-looking, this vomiting machine will undoubtedly play a role in helping scientists better understand how exactly norovirus causes human suffering so that they can figure out ways to alleviate it.
Vomiting Machines
This Vomiting Machine Enable Better Understanding of Stomach Bugs
Trend Themes
1. Pathogen Spread - The vomiting machine provides insights into how pathogens spread between humans, opening opportunities for disruptive innovations in disease prevention.
2. Barfing Simulation - The replication of body parts involved in the barfing process in the vomiting machine allows for the study of stomach bugs, presenting disruptive innovation opportunities in treatment and mitigation.
3. Norovirus Research - The vomiting machine aids in understanding how norovirus causes human suffering, potentially leading to disruptive innovations in therapeutic interventions.
Industry Implications
1. Medical Research - The vomiting machine revolutionizes medical research by providing a unique tool for studying the spread of pathogens and finding effective treatments.
2. Healthcare - By enabling the simulation of barfing, the vomiting machine can inspire disruptive innovations in healthcare, leading to better understanding and management of stomach bugs and related symptoms.
3. Disease Prevention - The insights gained from the vomiting machine can drive disruptive innovations in disease prevention strategies, particularly for addressing norovirus and related infections.