Human replication – it’s a topic discussed in the medical and scientific field as well as in popular culture dating back centuries. Mary Shelley’s infamous Frankenstein helped catalyze countless decades of thought regarding the ideas of human manufacturing, and the curiosity surrounding it has never left us.
In reality, the concept of human replication is far from being the “monster” entertainment media has made it out to be. Cutting edge science and disruptive technologies have revealed that human replication has the potential to change our approach to healthcare, while saving countless lives. This will make many aspects of the medical field more convenient for patients, as human replication will become a powerful instrument of the personalized health care revolution.
An article by Machine Design says that today, human manufacturing/replication begins with 3D printing and computer aided design (CAD) software, and “Anything that can be generated, simulated, and tested in a digital platform should be.”
Dassault Systèmes, with its SIMULIA brand is already at the forefront of this revolutionary science with its Living Heart project, a transformational initiative developing scientifically-accurate 3D simulations of the human heart that can be leveraged by the medical community to diagnose cardiovascular illness and simulate surgical procedures. It’s partnership with the FDA and more than 111 member organizations is moving this science forward. In fact, 3D simulation is a growing area for many areas of healthcare.
Like all disruptive and experience altering technologies, the replication of humans has to advance one step at a time. While in its infancy, it is clear to see we are in the midst of a personalized health care revolution, and technologies allowing for the digital simulation and replication of human organs is at the center of this revolution. We probably won’t see any of Frankenstein’s monsters living among us, but these innovative concepts of the past will surely change the world we live in.
