The "Sarco" capsule is designed to allow a person sitting inside to push a button that injects nitrogen gas into the sealed chamber.

The Swiss police said they had detained “several individuals” after a 64-year-old American woman reportedly died by suicide using the controversial device.

Swiss police have arrested several people after a controversial futuristic-looking capsule designed to allow its occupant to commit suicide was used for the first time, authorities said on Tuesday.

Police in northern Switzerland say several people have been detained and a criminal case opened in connection with the suspected death of a person in a new “suicide capsule.”

The capsule was invented by Dr. Philip Nitschke, a proponent for assisted suicide who is nicknamed “Dr. Death"

Criminal proceedings have been launched against “several people for incitement and aiding and abetting suicide,” police said.

This photograph shows a view of the Sarco assisted suicide capsule, during a press conference organised by the “Last Resort”, a Swiss human rights non-profit association focused on assisted suicide, in Zurich on July 17,