Scientists in China have claimed that the world’s first surrogate humanoid robot could soon carry a child and give birth to it. The project led by Dr. Zhang Qifeng of Kaiwa Technology in Guangzhou aims to create an artificial womb to replicate pregnancy.
The baby would develop inside the artificial womb filled with amniotic fluid and actual womb-like conditions. It will receive nutrients through a pipe during the nine-month gestation period. Dr. Zhang claimed that the project has reached a ‘mature stage’.
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“It now needs to be implanted in the robot’s abdomen, enabling interaction between a real person and the robot to achieve pregnancy and allow the fetus to develop inside,” The Telegraph quoted him.
A prototype is in motion to be released next year for over 100,000 yuan (over Rs. 12 lakh) that will mimic the entire pregnancy process, from conception to delivery. However, the process of fertilizations is still unclear.
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The humanoid has caused ethical and legal debates. Proponents said that it can address China’s rising infertility rate, which has risen from 11.9% in 2007 to 18% in 2020. It can also protect women from physical strain during pregnancy.
However, some critics argue that it will remove the natural mother-child bond. The medical experts question if the technology can replicate complex processes like maternal hormone regulation. Radical feminist Andrea Dworkin once cited that artificial pregnancies could mean ‘the end of women’, as reported by The Telegraph.
