This is the world’s first artificial womb facility – and it lets you choose baby’s characteristics from a menu.
EctoLife, able to grow 30,000 babies a year, is said to be based on over fifty years of groundbreaking scientific research.
The concept is the brainchild of Berlin-based Hashem Al-Ghaili, a biotechnologist and science communicator.
He says the facilities would allow infertile couples to conceive a baby and become the true biological parents of their own offspring.
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 colour 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 says it also offers a solution for women who had their uterus surgically removed due to cancer or other complications.
It could also help countries that are suffering from severe population decline, including Japan, Bulgaria, South Korea, and many others.
Hashem 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.
By Metro Tech Reporter
