On Friday (December 9), a filmmaker and science communicator by the name of Hashem Al-Ghaili released a concept video of an artificial womb facility called Ectolife.
The said video claimed that it is the first-of-its-kind facility where 30,000 babies can be grown in a year’s time. It further added that the facility is powered by renewable energy, consisting of solar and wind.
As per the concept video, Ectolife has 75 labs with each having the capacity to accommodate upto 400 artificial wombs (also called growth pods). The facility uses artificial intelligence to monitor and cater to the growth of individual babies.
According to the Ectolife video, prospective parents must provide their eggs and sperm for in-vitro fertilisation. They will be provided with the option to choose viable traits, screen for birth defects, and produce ‘genetically superior embryos’ (embryos that are devoid of genetic issues).
The prospective parents can also genetically engineer their embryo, prior to implantation, by employing a ‘CRISPR-Cas 9 gene editing tool’ (currently used to correct a genetic mutation in embryonic stages for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy).
The video claimed that Ectolife will extensively use AI technologies to provide nutrients that are customised to the needs of each child and monitor deviations from normal gestation.
It further added that parents can control what the child can see and hear through the use of 360-degree cameras and Virtual Reality (VR) headsets. They also can receive video of their child’s development 24/7 through their smartphone.
The concept video also talks about playing soft music and words to help in the learning process of the child in the early development stages. When the embryo is fully mature, the amniotic fluid-like solution will drain from the growth pod and the child will be removed from it.
Given that it will operate with minimal energy, such growth pods can even be used indoors. A similar concept video was earlier released in 2020.
According to Hashem Al-Ghaili, the innovation will be a breakthrough for couples with infertility issues, tired of waiting for the adoption, or worried about pregnancy complications. He also claimed that technology could make miscarriages a thing of the past.
As early as 2017, scientists made a breakthrough in artificial womb technology through the development of ‘Bio Bag.’ Reportedly, scientists grew 8 foetal lambs for a period of 3.5-4 months at that time.
