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Paper Centrifuge

gizmodo.com

21–30 of 133 posts

Re: Paper Centrifuge

#21
post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why not? The videos show the devices being operated with one handle fixed against a wall/door. In that situation, nothing flying off the disc will go towards the operator. You could also enclosing it in a box or operate it inside a hole in the ground.

"nothing flying off the disk will go towards the operator". What about other people? As you say, you can enclose it in a box, but that means making a glovebox, which increases cost significantly.

> What about other people?

The device only requires a single person to be present.

> that means making a glovebox, which increases cost significantly.

You don't need a glovebox, you just need a way to pull on one of the strings from outside the box.

Re: Paper Centrifuge

#22
post #11

Cool idea but it can't possibly be safe to spin infected blood on a device such as this.

I don't know why it would be any more dangerous than a typical centrifuge. Samples are in a vial, and that vial is what is responsible for containing the sample while you spin the samples. Having been around conventional centrifuges that have been destroyed due to improper balance, I assure you that any way you can imagine infected blood being distributed by the paper model would be 10x worse with a normal centrifuge…

You are comparing when things go wrong with a centrifuge to every single use of this device. How would you contain the microscopic airborne particles?

Re: Paper Centrifuge

#23
post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Motors need power, not having (much) power at hand is often one of the first problems helpers in such situation have, so something which doesn't need power is a huge boon.

Exactly. One of the reasons the recent ebola epidemic hit where it did is because there are still many areas where clean water and bleach (which would have prevented much of the outbreak) are difficult to obtain.

Don't forget the cultural practice of kissing dead people.

Re: Paper Centrifuge

#24
post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't know why it would be any more dangerous than a typical centrifuge. Samples are in a vial, and that vial is what is responsible for containing the sample while you spin the samples. Having been around conventional centrifuges that have been destroyed due to improper balance, I assure you that any way you can imagine infected blood being distributed by the paper model would be 10x worse with a normal centrifuge…

You are comparing when things go wrong with a centrifuge to every single use of this device. How would you contain the microscopic airborne particles?

>> Samples are in a vial

Re: Paper Centrifuge

#25
its a nice toy, for kids to learn science.

but really, what are we - stuck in the stone age? Its year 2017, there is no reason why those people should not have access to the advanced technology we enjoy today in the west.

make a pathetic paper centrifuge and give ourselves a pat on the back, really?

What have we become?

Re: Paper Centrifuge

#26
post #25

its a nice toy, for kids to learn science. but really, what are we - stuck in the stone age? Its year 2017, there is no reason why those people should not have access to the advanced technology we enjoy today in the west. make a pathetic paper centrifuge and give ourselves a pat on the back, really? What have we become?

That's because borders stop them from accessing much greater wages.

Even if you find the situation bad, these researchers helped improve the situation.

Re: Paper Centrifuge

#27
whats next? a fake life size cut out image of a doctor with a smartphone attached to it for a speaker?

its sad that people have to die because they don't have access to the technology that's not that expensive and readily available in the "developed countries".

And now we have to come up with some pathetic paper gizmos to justify our actions? Are we really that developed? Seems to me that we are going backwards...

Re: Paper Centrifuge

#28
post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't know why it would be any more dangerous than a typical centrifuge. Samples are in a vial, and that vial is what is responsible for containing the sample while you spin the samples. Having been around conventional centrifuges that have been destroyed due to improper balance, I assure you that any way you can imagine infected blood being distributed by the paper model would be 10x worse with a normal centrifuge…

You are comparing when things go wrong with a centrifuge to every single use of this device. How would you contain the microscopic airborne particles?

I suspect for most diseases break the centrifuge (and vial) would not drastically raise the risk for the bystanders -- we have plenty of microscopic airborne particles with all sorts of bacteria around us already, especially in cities. And I think malaria would not be contagious at all this way.

It could be different for specifically engineered bio-weapon, but IMO the benefits of better detection far outweigh the risks, especially in the developing world.

Re: Paper Centrifuge

#29
post #27

whats next? a fake life size cut out image of a doctor with a smartphone attached to it for a speaker? its sad that people have to die because they don't have access to the technology that's not that expensive and readily available in the "developed countries". And now we have to come up with some pathetic paper gizmos to justify our actions? Are we really that developed? Seems to me that we are going backwards...

Justify what actions?

How does this make the West go backward? The researches are helping to improve the situation.

If you are so concerned, you can go donate to charities that distribute vaccines.

Re: Paper Centrifuge

#30
post #27

whats next? a fake life size cut out image of a doctor with a smartphone attached to it for a speaker? its sad that people have to die because they don't have access to the technology that's not that expensive and readily available in the "developed countries". And now we have to come up with some pathetic paper gizmos to justify our actions? Are we really that developed? Seems to me that we are going backwards...

I'm not really sure what you are trying to say here. If you have a better solution to centrifuge availability than a 20c one made out of paper, please enlighten us.
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