Newsnomics AJAY ANGELINA reporter | Ectolife, the “world’s first artificial womb facility” is powered entirely by renewable energy that allows infertile couple to conceive a baby and become the true biological parents of their own offspring. It’s a perfect solution for women, who had their uterus, surgically removed due to cancer, or other complications like premature births and C-sections.
An 'Elite Package' would allow people to choose their baby's level of intelligence, height, hair, eye color, physical strength and even skin tone.
EctoLife, is just a concept for now, which offers a way for parents to produce customized babies with the help of artificial womb. The concept is the brainchild of Berlin-based Hashem Al-Ghaili, a producer, filmmaker and science communicator and molecular biologist by trade, that relies on groundbreaking research work that has been conducted by scientists and engineers since 1950S as per his website.
The concept of EctoLife is based on over fifty years of groundbreaking scientific research" by researchers globally, says Al-Ghaili.
Ectolife is specially designed to help countries that are suffering from severe population decline including Bulgaria, Japan, South Korea, and many others.
The facility - which would run on renewable energy -plans to house 75 labs, each equipped with up to 400 growth pods or artificial wombs can incubate up to 30,000 lab grown babies per year. These pods are designed to provide the same environment that is present inside a mother's womb.
The artificial-intelligence based system features sensors that can monitor baby’s vital signs including heartbeat, temperature, blood pressure, breathing rate and oxygen saturation and physical features of the baby and also reports any potential genetic abnormalities.
Parents can also keep a track of their baby's growth and development through a screen on the pods that showcase real-time data. This data can also be monitored via an app on the phone. The app provides with a high-resolution live view of the baby’s development with the help of internal speakers, 360-degree cameras, virtual reality headset, and wireless haptic suit.
Not only that, through Ectolife technology a baby will receive the best nutrients that can support their growth through two connected central bioreactors. (1) The first bioreactor contains nutrients and oxygen, (2) and the second bioreactor is designed to eliminate any waste products produced by the babies through artificial umbilical cord.
The system also allows a safe pain-free alternative delivery system that helps to deliver baby smoothly, conveniently, without stress, just with pushing a button. After discharging the amniotic fluid from the artificial womb, the baby from the grown pod will remove easily.
Al-Ghaili believes that artificial womb facilities could become a reality in 10 years or so if ethical restrictions are removed. "Every single feature mentioned in the concept is 100 per cent science-based and has already been achieved by scientists and engineers", he said.
Experts believe the technology is not that far-fetched and could become a reality in the future.
"In terms of time frame, 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", the producer said.
"If these ethical restrictions are relaxed, I give it 10 to 15 years before EctoLife becomes widely used everywhere".
On his website (https://hashem-alghaili.com) Al-Ghaili says he uses his "background in science and technology to develop brand-new concepts". He speaks of "imagining the future," though some online have clearly mistaken his latest film as a real-life advert.
