RESEARCHERS have unveiled a sneak peek at the world’s first artificial womb facility.
Dubbed Ectolife, the facility is the brainchild of Berlin-based biotechnologist Hashem Al-Ghaili.
The facility, which can grow 30,000 babies a year, would allow infertile couples to conceive a baby.
And a so-called “Elite Package” would allow you to genetically engineer the embryo before implanting it into the artificial womb.
Everything from eye and hair color to strength, height and intelligence can be chosen, and inherited genetic diseases can be avoided.
Hashem explains: “Introducing EctoLife, the world’s first artificial womb facility, which is powered entirely by renewable energy.
“According to the World Health Organization, around 300,000 women die from pregnancy complications.
“EctoLife artificial womb is designed to alleviate human suffering and reduce the chances of C-sections.”
“With EctoLife, premature births and C-sections will be a thing of the past.”
Hashem notes it also offers a solution for women who had their uterus surgically removed due to cancer or other complications.
Is this legit?
The founder believes the technology is available already, and only ethical constraints are holding the concept back from reality.
He says: “Every single feature mentioned in the concept is 100% science-based and has already been achieved by scientists and engineers.”
“The only thing left is building a prototype by combining all the features into a single device.
“In terms of timeframe, it really depends on the ethical guidelines. Right now, research on human embryos is not allowed beyond 14 days.
“After 14 days, embryos must be destroyed due to ethical concerns.
“If these ethical restrictions are relaxed, I give it 10 to 15 years before we EctoLife becomes widely used everywhere.”
The facility features 75 highly equipped labs, with each able to accommodate up to 400 growth pods or artificial wombs.
How does it work?
Every pod is designed to replicate the exact conditions that exist inside the mother’s uterus. A single building can incubate up to 30,000 lab-grown babies per year.
The pods are equipped with a screen that displays real-time data on the developmental progress of the baby. The data can also be viewed via a phone app.
Hashem said: “EctoLife allows your baby to develop in an infection-free environment. The pods are made of materials that prevent germs from sticking to their surfaces.
“Every growth pod features sensors that can monitor your baby’s vital signs, including heartbeat, temperature, blood pressure, breathing rate, and oxygen saturation.
“The artificial intelligence-based system also monitors the physical features of your baby and reports any potential genetic abnormalities.”
Because babies are thought to recognize language and learn words while still in the womb, EctoLife growth pods feature internal speakers that play a wide range of words and music to your baby.
An app allows the choice of playlist a baby listens to and the ability to sing directly to them to gain familiarity with your voice before birth.
“Our goal is to provide you with an intelligent offspring that truly reflects your smart choices,” says Hashem.
“Thanks to CRISPR-Cas 9 gene editing tool, you can edit any trait of your baby through a wide range of over 300 genes.”
