Entertainment

'Shark Tank' Might Get Creepy Thanks To SynDaver

by Rosie Narasaki

Guess what's coming to Shark Tank this week? Fake corpses! Yep, SynDaver Labs, which is helmed by Dr. Christopher Sakezles, will be throwing their hat into the investing ring on this week's episode. Shark Tank has certainly had its fair share of macabre and unsettling products, but SynDavers might just take the cake — because, really, does it get much more creepy than a synthetic cadaver? OK, I suppose you could argue that an actual cadaver is more creepy, but there's no denying the fact that SynDaver Lab's SynDavers are uncannily lifelike — or deathlike, as the case may be.

Creepy or not, SynDaver could actually be a huge boon to medical testing — as per their website, their ultimate goal is "the replacement of live animals and human cadavers in medical education and training with synthetic analogs which are more cost-effective than the relevant animal or human model." Besides, as unsettling as the SynDavers may be, they're nowhere near as unsettling as an actual dead body.

So will the Sharks bite or not? Here are a few things they should consider:

They're Ultra-Intricate

Unlike most medical models, they're not just made out of silicon molding — they're actually created from a mixture of various fibers, water, and differing concentrations of salt, for the most realistic experience possible. As the company's website describes, they're made up of hundreds of parts, and are quite complex.

They've Been Around For Years

Sakezles (a medical device designer) began developing the SynDaver technology back and 2004, and while a lot has changed since then, he's still the creator of one of the most realistic synthetic tissues on the market. He knows what he's talking about — after all, he has a PhD in polymer science.

Schools Like Them

The University of Northern Iowa just spent $150,000 on four SynDavers, according to KCRG, because get this: It beats the heck out of dissecting fetal pigs.

They Make More Than Fake Cadavers

They also manufacture individual body parts, as well as diseased/malfunctioning body parts to simulate various ailments.

There's Room For Growth

As mentioned above, UNI just bought four SynDavers, and there are lots of other schools and universities that might benefit from the purchase of a SynDaver or two. There's also the fact that, according to Today's Medical Developments, they're already in use by medical device developers, as well as "consumer products and pharmaceutical industries, U.S. and allied militaries, and veterinary students."

What do you think? Will the Sharks be able to get past the considerable eww factor surrounding the SynDaver, and give it a chance?

Images: Michael Desmond/ABC; Giphy (5)