Gearfuse

These awesome pregnancy models were designed in 19th century Japan and reappeared in the July 2001 issue of Geijutsu Shincho magazine. The demand for pregnancy toys was must have been overwhelming. Can’t you picture little pro-choice children demanding the chance to perform their own home abortions (Dick Cheney was a child around that time, right?). Fun!

Pro-choice kids didn’t get all the fun though. These toys also appear to be great models for the miracle of birth. The anatomical correctness instills an automatic suspension of disbelief. Just look at those stretch marks. More geisha-style birth models after the jump.

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Are you an impatient mother who can’t hold onto her diaphragm without worrying if the fetus in her womb will develop sickle-cell anemia? Well no worries, tubby, because Royal Philips Electronics wants to turn those awkward and impersonal ultrasounds into something “much more playful,” says Frank Rettenbacher, a product designer for Philips.

Now, that’s just fucking creepy.  Philips researchers were modeling ultrasound visits after a spa-like experiences.  These weirdos want to cut out the whole lab/doctor routine and outfit your ultrasound experience with ambient lighting and new technologies intended to reduce stress. The ultrasound itself is streamed onto a big, bubble-like screen. These larger, clearer images may help doctors diagnose aberrations early on in the baby’s development, ultimately resulting in earlier treatment. Looks a lot like a night club to me, though. I wonder if Red Bulls will still cost $5…

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