For people (who have money) who want to have children but can’t, in-vitro fertilization – or IVF – can help.
Traditionally, this is accomplished by a scientist or technician loading sperm cells into a syringe and then, with the use of a microscope, injecting those cells into a handful of eggs in a petri dish.
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Because of all the labor involved, the process is costly – around $20K an attempt – which is one reason different companies are working on ways to automate it.
One of those companies is Overture Life, and they’ve had recent success – in the form of two healthy baby girls – with an insemination robot controlled by a PlayStation 5 controller.
A student engineer used the controller to steer a robotic IVF needle, depositing a single sperm cell into human eggs.
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According to experts like Weill Cornell Medical Center fertility doctor Gianpiero Palermo, there is still a long way to go until the process can benefit from the cost-cutting effects of full automation, though.
“The concept is extraordinary, but this is a baby step.”
And, since the engineers at Overture still had to manually load the sperm cells into the needles, this is “not yet robotic ICSI.”
That said, it is a step in the right direction.
I’m sure that people out there who desire children, but don’t have $20K in the bank, are watching and are hopeful as well.