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.
Why This Trend Is Growing
- Pathogen Spread
- The vomiting machine provides insights into how pathogens spread between humans, opening opportunities for disruptive innovations in disease prevention.
- 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.
- Norovirus Research
- The vomiting machine aids in understanding how norovirus causes human suffering, potentially leading to disruptive innovations in therapeutic interventions.
Industries Being Reshaped
- Medical Research
- The vomiting machine revolutionizes medical research by providing a unique tool for studying the spread of pathogens and finding effective treatments.
- 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.
- Disease Prevention
- The insights gained from the vomiting machine can drive disruptive innovations in disease prevention strategies, particularly for addressing norovirus and related infections.
