Forgot password
Enter the email address you used when you joined and we'll send you instructions to reset your password.
If you used Apple or Google to create your account, this process will create a password for your existing account.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Reset password instructions sent. If you have an account with us, you will receive an email within a few minutes.
Something went wrong. Try again or contact support if the problem persists.
Escapist logo header image

Puking Robot Helps Scientists Fight Infectious Disease

This article is over 12 years old and may contain outdated information

“Vomiting Larry” may have the worst job a robot could possibly ever have.

The norovirus known as the “Winter vomiting bug” is one incredibly tenacious disease. Responsible for an estimated 880,000 cases of vomiting and diarrhea in the United Kingdom in the past few months, it’s capable of reproducing at a rapid speed, survive freezing temperatures and living for approximately two weeks on hard surfaces without much of a problem. And despite researching noroviruses for over 40 years, doctors have been unable to find a cure.

Enter Vomiting Larry, an anatomically correct “simulated vomiting system,” built purely for the purpose of helping scientists better understand how the violent projectile vomiting that accompanies a norovirus infection can spread it around from person to person. Through poor Larry’s constant retching (an example of which is visible at about 2:40 in the video), scientists have been able to learn that the virus can launch itself up to 3 meters (9.8 ft) in a single expulsion, and a single drop of puke can contain thousands of infectious particles.

It takes a little over a dozen norovirus particles to infect a person, but thankfully the norovirus is rarely fatal. While many who catch the disease may wish they were dead when experiencing its less-than-pleasant symptoms, most recover fully within a couple of days. Previous studies conducted on the virus have shown that proper hygiene (such as washing one’s hands with soap and water) can help impede its progress, although common household cleaners and sanitizers aren’t always effective in eliminating it.

It may be a long time before researchers are able to develop a cure, but robotic systems like Vomiting Larry may help scientists devise better ways to help control future norovirus outbreaks. Don’t feel too bad for Larry, though – legend has it that in the first attempts to study the disease, human volunteers drank the filtered diarrhea of people who were suffering from the infection.

Source: BBC News

Recommended Videos

The Escapist is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more about our Affiliate Policy