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AirPods survive brutal durability test by passing through human digestive system without a scratch

AirPod inside the stomach and outside the bathroom. (Image source: Daily Mail/AsiaWire/edited)
AirPod inside the stomach and outside the bathroom. (Image source: Daily Mail/AsiaWire/edited)
It has been reported that an AirPod has managed to survive passing through the entire digestive system of an adult male human being. Fortunately, this is not some new horrifying development test by Apple nor is it an extreme benchmark created by a voracious tech blogger. It’s simply the result of a case of accidental swallowing while sleeping.

Not long ago we reported on the potential harmful effects that wireless devices, such as Apple’s AirPods, can have on the human body. It seems a young Taiwanese man has accidentally tested one potential risk that may have been overlooked due to much of the focus being placed on possible chronic radiation syndrome; but fortunately the incident has a happy, if somewhat execrable, ending.

According to a report from the Daily Mail, Ben Hsu fell asleep while still wearing the AirPods in his ears. Somehow, one of the AirPods managed to fall out of his ear and into his open mouth, and he then subsequently swallowed it. Upon awakening, the navy recruiter realized he had lost the Apple device and used an iPhone app to locate the missing AirPod, which was now in his stomach. It was at this point Hsu came to the conclusion that a trip to hospital was a wise idea.

Medical staff took an X-ray image that showed the AirPod sitting in the recruiter’s stomach, in what seemed like quite a snug fit. Hsu was given laxatives and a later call of nature at a railway station ended with the “lucky” man being reunited with his digested AirPod. Whether or not you find the next part of the story gross will likely depend on how much of an Apple fan you are: Mr. Hsu proceeded to clean and dry the AirPod and then tested it to see if it still worked, which it did, and it even still had 41% of its battery remaining.

It seems the plastic casing of the earbud had helped protect the AirPod digester from harm. He said he found the whole incident to be “magical” and may have inadvertently solved the argument of which is the best product out of the Apple AirPods and the Samsung Galaxy Buds – because clearly in this case the AirPods were number two.

The AirPod sat comfortably in the stomach. (Image source: Daily Mail/Asia Wire)
The AirPod sat comfortably in the stomach. (Image source: Daily Mail/Asia Wire)
Ben Hsu happily reunited with his AirPod but in need of hand sanitizer. (Image source: Daily Mail/AsiaWire/Ben Hsu)
Ben Hsu happily reunited with his AirPod but in need of hand sanitizer. (Image source: Daily Mail/AsiaWire/Ben Hsu)

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > News > News Archive > Newsarchive 2019 05 > AirPods survive brutal durability test by passing through human digestive system without a scratch
Daniel R Deakin, 2019-05- 4 (Update: 2019-05- 4)