Wannabe parents of the future will have the option to create virtual
children that they interact with through virtual reality glasses (stock
image)
Futurologist Dr Ian Pearson told The Sun that "parents" will
interact with these children through augmented reality (AR) glasses.
The digital youngsters will be based on our DNA and act and grow up just like real kids, but will live forever and cost nothing to raise.
interact with these children through augmented reality (AR) glasses.
The digital youngsters will be based on our DNA and act and grow up just like real kids, but will live forever and cost nothing to raise.
"By 2050, we'll have a far better understanding of DNA, and people of
the future will be able to upload their full genome to a computer
database," Dr Pearson said.
"You could then combine your digital DNA with someone else's and simulate a child that lives a virtual existence.
"Through augmented reality you could chat to them as they wander around the home. If you don’t like them you could switch them off and pick a different one."
Technology that lays virtual characters over the real world – known as augmented reality – is already hugely popular.
It was a key part of the smash-hit smartphone game Pokemon Go, which superimposed cartoon monsters onto the world as seen through your smartphone snapper.
According to Dr Pearson, it's a matter of time before people begin using the tech to interact with virtual children.
"It will be perfect for people who can't have babies naturally, either through infertility, lifestyle or otherwise," he told The Sun.
"If you have a busy job or don't have a partner to share the load, you could switch the child off when you didn't have the time to look after them.
"You’ll have an easier relationship with them too, because they're not there all the time."
The technology could allow people eyeing up their first child to test out the parenting experience before going the whole hog.
The setup would work similarly to the robot baby simulators that became popular in the early 2000s.
Much like their mechanical counterparts, virtual kids will boasts lifelike cooing, crying and vomiting to test your mettle ahead of the real deal.
And according to Dr Pearson, the tech will be here sooner rather than later.
Is there a risk that people will pick a virtual child over a real one? Not in Dr Pearson's eyes.
He says the experience of having your own kids will always trump anything viewed through high tech goggles.
"There might be circumstances where people would have had kids but go with this option instead," he told The Sun.
"But it'll be a very small percentage. We might see a drop in the number of babies born each year, but only a very slight one."
Source: dailystar
"You could then combine your digital DNA with someone else's and simulate a child that lives a virtual existence.
"Through augmented reality you could chat to them as they wander around the home. If you don’t like them you could switch them off and pick a different one."
Technology that lays virtual characters over the real world – known as augmented reality – is already hugely popular.
It was a key part of the smash-hit smartphone game Pokemon Go, which superimposed cartoon monsters onto the world as seen through your smartphone snapper.
According to Dr Pearson, it's a matter of time before people begin using the tech to interact with virtual children.
"It will be perfect for people who can't have babies naturally, either through infertility, lifestyle or otherwise," he told The Sun.
"If you have a busy job or don't have a partner to share the load, you could switch the child off when you didn't have the time to look after them.
"You’ll have an easier relationship with them too, because they're not there all the time."
The technology could allow people eyeing up their first child to test out the parenting experience before going the whole hog.
The setup would work similarly to the robot baby simulators that became popular in the early 2000s.
Much like their mechanical counterparts, virtual kids will boasts lifelike cooing, crying and vomiting to test your mettle ahead of the real deal.
And according to Dr Pearson, the tech will be here sooner rather than later.
Is there a risk that people will pick a virtual child over a real one? Not in Dr Pearson's eyes.
He says the experience of having your own kids will always trump anything viewed through high tech goggles.
"There might be circumstances where people would have had kids but go with this option instead," he told The Sun.
"But it'll be a very small percentage. We might see a drop in the number of babies born each year, but only a very slight one."
Source: dailystar
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