Robots will carry and "give birth" to human children as early as 2026

The Chinese technology company Kaiwa Technology from Guangzhou has announced its intention to create a robot, that will carry human embryos in an artificial uterus.

Representatives of Kaiwa Technology note, that the humanoid robot will have an artificial uterus in the abdominal cavity, where the embryo will develop. The uterus will use a synthetic amniotic fluid, and nutrients will be delivered to the fetus through a tube.

According to the CEO of Kaiwa Technology, Dr. Zhang Qifeng, a key part of the technology is already at an advanced stage of development. He expects the first commercial prototype to appear as early as 2026 at a price of $14 thousand. 

However, medical experts criticized the statement by representatives of the Chinese tech company, which, at the same time, did not provide any details about its own development. The company was prudently silent, on how it plans to overcome all the difficulties of supporting the fetus from the early stages of fertilization and implantation before birth.

The statement also caused a wave of public criticism. Some experts have expressed concern, that the lack of connection between mother and fetus will make it impossible for a woman to produce maternal hormones while carrying a child with a robot.

However, some are in favor of the development, noting its potential in freeing women from stress and risk. The company says, it is already in talks with the authorities to remove the legal obstacles it faces. 

Artificial uteruses have already proven to be effective in animal trials. In 2017, researchers from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia successfully carried a premature lamb, which is 23 weeks of gestation in humans, in a “biopack” — a transparent vinyl bag filled with warm artificial amniotic fluid based on saline. The nutrients were delivered through a tube attached to the umbilical cord, allowing the lamb to grow its wool within four weeks.

However, modern artificial uteruses function more like neonatal incubators, carrying the fetus at later stages of pregnancy. In order for the concept developed by Kaiwa Technology to work, the technology must be improved and support fertilization, implantation, and the full cycle of pregnancy

Source: Interesting Engineering