# Hara-Kiri Homages Dr. Kevorkian's Suicide Machine is Called the Thanatron By Omar Yusuf | Published 2011-10-22 | Lifestyle Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/thanatron References: [gizmodo](http://gizmodo.com/5851787/early-christmas-shopping-tip-dr-kevorkians-suicide-machine-is-for-sale) & [gothamist](http://gothamist.com/2011/10/20/dr_kevorkians_suicide_machine_among.php) Dr. Jack Kevorkian was a world-renowned advocate of what he called 'dignified death,' the right of patients to choose euthanasia in lieu of suffering, and deployed the famous Thanatron to actually administer the death-inducing serum. Should you ever choose to 'opt-out' in the event of a terminal disease, you're in luck because the suicide machine is on sale! Insisting on the necessity of such a gadget, Dr. Kevorkian named his morbid device after Thanatos, the daemon personification of [death in Greek mythos](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/grim-reaper). The homemade machine connects several syringes to the patient's body and slowly begins administering a [series of relaxants and poisons](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/linear-accelerator-technology), eventually resulting in death. Although the Thanatron, which euthanized more than 100 consenting patients, belongs in a museum, the New York Institute of Technology is intent on auctioning off this [piece of history](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/buffalo-skeleton-hard-disk) to the highest bidder. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 1.7/10 - Popularity: 2% | Activity: 40% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 70% men, 30% women - Top markets: North America, Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Lifestyle](https://www.trendhunter.com/lifestyle) > [Health](https://www.trendhunter.com/health) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Dignified Death Advocacy:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop advanced and humane methods for patients to have more control over their end-of-life decisions. - **Euthanasia Devices:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Design and create technologically advanced machines that offer a painless and peaceful death for terminally ill patients. - **End-of-life Options:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Explore new services and technologies that provide individuals with more choices and control over their end-of-life journey. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Healthcare:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Revolutionize the end-of-life care industry by offering innovative solutions for patients' dignified death. - **Medical Equipment:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop high-tech devices and equipment that facilitate euthanasia in a safe and controlled manner. - **Bioethics:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Create new policies and ethical frameworks to navigate the intersection of technology, healthcare, and end-of-life choices. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Death Prediction Apps](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/death-clock-app.md) - [Life-Size Casket Coolers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/casket-cooler.md) - [Design-Forward Funerary Urn Exhibitions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/funerary-urn.md) - [Eco-Friendly Pet Tree Burial Kits](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ecofriendly-pet-tree-burial-kit.md) - [Tribute Writing Assistants](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/eulogy-generator-platform.md) - [NFT Cocktail Machines](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-skull-society.md) - [Post-Mortem Pet Projectors](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cirius-beam-projector.md) - [Life-Inspired Board Games](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-game-of-death.md) - [Deep Sea Funerals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/deep-sea-funeral.md)