Extracting a stuck wine cork from a bottle inspired this method for bringing a child into the world.
Jorge Ernesto Odon of Argentina invented a new method for assisting the birth of a child, using an insertable, inflatable bag to grip the child’s head, in the same way one can extract a cork that has gotten stuck inside a bottle.
He presents details in Patent Application CA 2696876, “Device for extracting elements from a cavity,” published Jan 29, 2009 [with a Filing date Jul 18, 2008 and a Priority date Jul 20, 2007].
There’s more, as you’ll see if you read “Device for extracting elements from cavities, which uses a bag for extraction and an applicator,” application WO 2012164139 A1, [Publication date Dec 6, 2012, Filing date May 31, 2012, Priority date Jun 2, 2011].
In this promotional video, we see Mr. Odon testing his device, at De Moines University:
Mr. Odon gave a TEDx talk about his invention:
This news video report adds color to the story:
BONUS (not entirely unrelated): There’s more than one way to unstick a stuck baby. See the Ig Nobel Prize-winning Blonsky centrifugal force birthing device (and the opera inspired by the Blonsky device). If you are in Dublin, Ireland on Thursday night, March 13, come see my lecture/demo about the Blonsky device, at The Science Gallery.