Modeling Technology Allows Parents To Hold Unborn Children

baby_model-1
The PhD project of Jorge Lopes, a Brazilian design student at London’s Royal College of Art, offers the potential to allow expecting parents to “hold” their unborn children.

Lopes’ technique converts ultrasound and MRI scans into physical models using a 3D printer. Rapid prototyping technology is typically used for creating design models.

Dr. Lopes explains reactions from expecting parents:

It’s amazing to see the faces of the mothers. They can see the full scale of their baby, really understand the size of it.

Beyond the mere interest value, however, there is some utility to the technology. Hilary French, head of the School of Architecture and Design Products explains:

The technology can be also be used as an emotional tool for parents whose fetus might be deformed or need treatment.

Check out our gallery on the next page of models of fetuses at different stages that have been created using Lopes’ technology.
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Science and Tech

C.S. Magor is the editor-in-chief and a reporter at large for We Interrupt and Uberreview. He currently resides in the Japanese countryside approximately two hours from Tokyo - where he has spent the better part of a decade testing his hypothesis that Japan is neither as quirky nor as interesting as others would have you believe.
5 Comments on this post.
  • Modeling Technology Allows Parents To Hold Unborn Children | We … | Softdown.us
    27 June 2009 at 6:08 am
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  • Ben
    7 July 2009 at 7:34 pm
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    This might increase abortions with deformed babies and might decrease abortions for healthy fetus. Interesting experiment I must say.

  • Ben
    7 July 2009 at 2:34 pm
    Leave a Reply

    This might increase abortions with deformed babies and might decrease abortions for healthy fetus. Interesting experiment I must say.

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