Technology

Creepy robot mom that gives birth is training future midwives

Published

4 weeks ago

March 22, 2026

Creepy robot mom that gives birth is training future midwives

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Most hospital training labs use basic dummies or simple mannequins to teach medical skills. Students practice procedures, learn techniques and move on to real patients later. But a new childbirth simulator called Mama Anne takes training to a very different level. This lifelike robot blinks, breathes and even talks while helping midwifery students practice delivering babies before they ever step into a real delivery room. And if the idea of a robot going into labor feels a little creepy, you are not alone.

At York St. John University in York, England, educators have introduced the simulator as part of a new approach to hands-on medical training. The technology allows students to experience complex labor scenarios in a safe environment where mistakes become learning moments instead of medical emergencies. And yes, the robot actually gives birth.

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Mama Anne is a high-fidelity childbirth simulator used to train midwifery students in realistic labor and delivery scenarios before they work with real patients. (Laerdal Medical)

How the robot childbirth simulator trains future midwives

The simulator known as Mama Anne looks and behaves much like a real patient in labor. Developed by Laerdal Medical, the high-fidelity mannequin was designed to recreate real childbirth conditions with startling realism.

Students interact with Mama Anne as if she were an actual patient. Her eyes blink and react to light. Her chest rises and falls as she breathes. She even has pulses that can be felt in multiple places across the body. Most importantly, she can deliver a baby mannequin during a simulated birth.

Unlike older training models that stayed mostly static, this simulator moves and reacts during labor. It can deliver in several positions, including lying back or on all fours. It can also display vital signs that change in response to medical complications. In short, it turns a classroom exercise into something that feels much closer to a real hospital scenario.

Why robot childbirth simulators are becoming essential

For decades, midwifery training relied heavily on textbooks, observation and limited hands-on practice. That approach left a major gap. Many students encountered their first true emergencies only after they began working in clinical settings.

Now technology is filling that gap. Simulation tools like Mama Anne allow students to practice high-risk situations repeatedly before they ever treat a real patient. As a result, students build confidence while instructors guide them through difficult scenarios.

For example, the simulator can recreate several dangerous childbirth complications, including:

Postpartum hemorrhage with realistic blood loss
Shoulder dystocia when a baby becomes stuck during delivery
Pre-eclampsia and eclampsia with changing vital signs
Sepsis symptoms that require rapid treatment

Students also practice everyday clinical skills such as monitoring fetal heart rate, giving injections and managing labor from start to finish. Because the training environment is controlled, instructors can pause a scenario, explain a mistake and run it again.

The robot even teaches communication skills

Medical training is not only about technical procedures. Communication with patients matters just as much. Mama Anne helps with that, too.

The simulator can speak using recorded responses or real-time dialogue through hidden speakers. Students must explain procedures, ask for consent and reassure their patient just as they would in a real delivery room.

If someone touches the simulator without asking first, it can react and vocalize discomfort. That feature reinforces one of the most important lessons in modern healthcare: patient consent and respectful care always come first.

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The lifelike simulator can blink, breathe, display vital signs and deliver a baby mannequin to recreate complex childbirth situations. (Laerdal Medical)

Why universities are investing in this technology

Educators believe simulation training dramatically improves how healthcare students prepare for the real world. Rebecca Beggan, midwifery program lead at York St. John University, says hands-on simulation helps students build both competence and confidence before clinical placements.

Students can experience an entire labor scenario from beginning to end. They learn antenatal care, labor management and postnatal care in a single immersive exercise. Instructors also say the technology helps protect students from the emotional shock of encountering their first medical emergency without preparation. Instead of facing those situations cold, students enter clinical placements with real practice under their belt.

The future of childbirth training

The arrival of hyper-realistic simulators like Mama Anne suggests medical education is entering a new era. Instead of learning mostly through observation and experience, future healthcare professionals may train through realistic simulations that mirror real hospital conditions.

That shift could change everything from how nurses train to how surgeons rehearse complex procedures. Technology will never replace human caregivers. However, it can help prepare them better than ever before.

What this means to you

Even if you never step into a medical classroom, this technology could still affect your life. Better training often leads to better patient outcomes. When healthcare providers practice emergency scenarios in advance, they react faster and make fewer mistakes during real emergencies.

For expectant parents, that can mean safer deliveries and more confident medical teams in the room. Simulation training also reflects a broader shift in healthcare education across the United States. Many hospitals and universities are adopting high-fidelity simulators for surgery, emergency care and trauma response. The goal is simple: Let students practice difficult situations before lives are on the line.

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Kurt’s key takeaways

A robot that gives birth may seem a little creepy at first. Still, tools like this could become common in medical training down the road. Students gain hands-on experience. Instructors guide them through emergencies. Patients benefit from better-prepared medical teams. The next generation of midwives may enter the delivery room with far more practice than any class before them. As medical simulators grow more realistic and more widespread, one question naturally follows.

Students use the simulator to practice emergencies like postpartum hemorrhage, shoulder dystocia and other complications in a safe training environment. (Laerdal Medical)

If robots can train doctors to deliver babies today, what other parts of healthcare might soon be practiced first in simulation labs instead of hospitals? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

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Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

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Technology

YouTube’s mobile app finally lets you share timestamped videos

Published

11 hours ago

April 16, 2026

Press Room

YouTube’s mobile app finally lets you share timestamped videos

YouTube is making some changes that might affect how you share videos from the mobile app. From the app, you can finally share videos from a specific timestamp, which will make it easier to point someone to a part of a video you might want them to see while you’re on your phone. However, this change will replace the Clips feature that lets you make a shareable clip from a video.

You’ll still be able to watch any Clips that you’ve already made. But moving forward, “the ability to set an end time or include a custom description when sharing will no longer be available,” YouTube says. The company notes that while clipping is “important way for creators to reach new audiences,” it says that “a number of third-party tools with advanced clipping features and authorized creator programs are now available to do this across different video platforms.”

The company originally introduced the Clips feature in 2021.

Technology

Meta employee accused of accessing private images

Published

11 hours ago

April 16, 2026

Press Room

Meta employee accused of accessing private images

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When you upload a photo to Facebook, you expect it to stay private unless you decide otherwise. That expectation just took a hit after a former employee of Meta was accused of accessing thousands of private images.

According to details confirmed by the company, the London-based employee allegedly created a program to bypass internal safeguards. Investigators say this may have allowed access to about 30,000 private Facebook images that were not meant to be viewed.

The individual is now under criminal investigation and is out on bail as authorities continue to review the case. Here’s how investigators say the access may have happened.

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META SMART GLASSES PRIVACY CONCERNS GROW

A former Meta employee is accused of accessing thousands of private Facebook images, raising new concerns about how user data is protected. (Fabian Sommer/picture alliance via Getty Images)

How the Meta employee allegedly accessed private images

Authorities believe the employee may have written a script to get around Meta’s internal detection systems. In simple terms, the system that should flag unusual behavior may not have caught the activity right away. This detail matters because large tech platforms rely on monitoring tools to detect suspicious access patterns. When those checks are bypassed, it raises questions about how internal access is controlled.

The investigation is being handled by the cybercrime unit of the Metropolitan Police in London. At the same time, security experts often point out that insider threats are difficult to eliminate. Even strong systems can be tested when someone inside the company misuses access.

What Meta says about the employee investigation

Meta says it discovered the improper access more than a year ago and took action after identifying the issue.

“Protecting user data is our top priority,” a Meta spokesperson told CyberGuy. “After discovering improper access by an employee over a year ago, we immediately terminated the individual, notified users, referred the matter to law enforcement and enhanced our security measures. We are cooperating with the ongoing investigation.”

Legal risks in the Meta private images case

Data protection experts say cases like this often come down to both intent and safeguards. If an employee accesses personal data without authorization, that can lead to criminal charges under data protection and computer misuse laws. However, the company’s responsibility depends on the protections it had in place. If proper safeguards existed, the focus usually remains on the individual.

If not, regulators may consider penalties or legal claims against the company. The Information Commissioner’s Office, the U.K.’s data privacy watchdog, has acknowledged the incident. The agency stressed that social media users should be able to trust how their personal information is handled.

Why the Meta investigation is drawing attention now

This case is unfolding at a time when scrutiny of major tech platforms is already high. Recent legal challenges have raised broader concerns about how companies protect users and manage risk. That context adds weight to this investigation. It reflects a larger conversation about privacy and accountability in the tech industry. As more people rely on digital platforms, expectations of data protection continue to rise. Incidents like this tend to reinforce those concerns.

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Mark Zuckerberg walks through the U.S. Capitol after a meeting on March 26, 2026. Investigators in London say a former Meta employee may have used a script to bypass safeguards and view about 30,000 private Facebook images. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

Simple ways to protect your private photos

Even though this case involves an insider, there are still simple steps you can take to better protect your photos and limit who can see them.

1) Check your Facebook privacy settings

You cannot control what happens inside a company, but you can limit how much of your personal content is exposed. Start by reviewing your Facebook privacy settings.

(Settings may vary depending on device and app version)

Mobile (iPhone/Android):
Facebook: Menu > Settings & privacy > Settings > Audience and visibility > Posts > Who can see your future posts > select Friends (or a custom audience) > Save

Desktop (Mac/PC):
Facebook: Profile picture (top right) > Settings & privacy > Settings > Audience and visibility section > Posts > Who can see your future posts > select Friends (or a custom audience) > Done

2) Review older photos and albums

Next, go through older photos and albums. Many people forget that photos shared years ago may still be visible under outdated settings.

(Settings may vary depending on device and app version)

Mobile (iPhone/Android):
Facebook: Menu > Settings & privacy > Settings > Audience and visibility > Posts > Limit who can see past posts > Limit who can see past posts > Limit past posts > confirm

Desktop (Mac/PC):
Facebook: Profile picture > Settings & privacy > Settings > Audience and visibility section > Posts > Limit who can see past posts > Limit past posts > confirm

And check individual albums:

Mobile (iPhone/Android):
Facebook: Go to your profile > Photos > Albums > select an album > tap Edit (top right) > Who can see this? > choose who can see it > Done

Desktop (Mac/PC):
Facebook: click your name on the left > Photos > Albums > select an album > click the three dots > Edit album > choose who can see it > Done

Not all albums can be changed, and some system albums have limited privacy options.

3) Be careful what you upload

It also helps to limit what you upload in the first place. Sensitive images, documents or anything you would not want widely seen may be better kept off social platforms entirely.

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Authorities are investigating whether a former Meta employee improperly accessed private Facebook photos that users never intended to share. (Gabby Jones/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

4) Turn on account activity alerts and two-factor authentication

You can also enable alerts for unusual account activity. While this case involves an insider, account alerts still help you spot unauthorized access to your own profile. You can also turn on two-factor authentication (2FA) to add another layer of protection to your account.

How to turn on account activity alerts

(Settings may vary depending on device and app version)

Mobile (iPhone/Android):
Facebook: Menu > Settings & privacy > Settings > Accounts Center > Password and security > Security Checkup > review and complete recommended security steps

Desktop (Mac/PC):
Facebook: Profile picture (top right) > Settings & privacy > Settings > Accounts Center > Password and security > Security Checkup > review and complete recommended security steps

How to turn on two-factor authentication

(Settings may vary depending on device and app version)

Mobile (iPhone/Android):
Facebook: Menu > Settings & privacy > Settings > Password and security > Two-factor authentication > choose text message or authentication app > follow prompts

Desktop (Mac/PC):
Facebook: Profile picture > Settings & privacy > Settings > Password and security > Two-factor authentication > choose text message or authentication app > follow prompts

5) Check third-party app access

Take a few minutes to review which apps have access to your Facebook account. Third-party apps can sometimes hold more access than you expect.

(Settings may vary depending on device and app version)

Mobile (iPhone/Android):
Facebook: Menu > Settings & privacy > Settings > Apps and websites > Active > tap an app > Remove

Desktop (Mac/PC):
Facebook: Profile picture (top right) > Settings & privacy > Settings > Apps and websites > Active > click an app > Remove

If you don’t see any apps listed or options like “Active,” it likely means you don’t have any connected apps to review.

What this means to you

If you use Facebook or similar platforms, this situation highlights something many people overlook. Even with strong safeguards, insider access still exists. Employees often need certain permissions to keep systems running. That creates a level of trust between users and the company.

When that trust is broken, it can feel personal. At the same time, there are still steps you can take on your end. Reviewing your privacy settings, limiting what you share and enabling security features can reduce how much of your content is exposed. It also shows why detection and response matter.

In this case, Meta says it identified the issue, removed the employee and notified users. Those steps can limit damage, but they do not erase the concern. The bigger takeaway is that privacy depends on both technology and human behavior. Systems can reduce risk, but they cannot remove it completely.

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Kurt’s key takeaways

This case is still under investigation, and no final legal outcome has been announced. Even so, it highlights a risk many people rarely think about. Most privacy conversations focus on hackers. This situation is different. It shows how access from inside a company can create its own set of risks. Meta says it acted quickly by removing the employee, notifying users and strengthening its systems. Those steps matter, but they also show how much trust users place in the platforms they use every day. The reality is simple. Once you upload something online, you are trusting more than just the technology behind it.

If someone inside a company can access private data, how much control do you really have over what you share online? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

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Technology

Govee’s new LED Lightwall comes with its own self-standing frame

Published

23 hours ago

April 16, 2026

Press Room

Govee’s new LED Lightwall comes with its own self-standing frame

Govee has announced an upgraded version of its hanging Curtain Lights Pro that can instead be used nearly anywhere you have access to an outlet or large battery. At $449.99, Govee’s new Lightwall is more than twice as expensive as the $199.99 Curtain Lights Pro, but comes with more LEDs in a denser array and a self-standing aluminum frame that can be assembled in 10 to 15 minutes without the need for any tools.

When hung from its stand the Lightwall measures 7.9 feet wide and 5.3 feet tall and features 1,536 color-changing LEDs spaced about 1.96 inches apart in a 48 x 32 grid. It’s water-resistant, and with the ability to refresh at up to 35fps the Lightwall almost sounds like it could be used as a personal backyard Jumbotron, but it’s not designed for watching TV or movies.

The Lightwall instead connects to Govee’s Home app where you can select from over 200 preset scenes and simple animations, choose from 10 different music modes that generate lighting patterns matched to beats, or synchronize its colors to other Govee lighting products to create a cohesive mood.

The app can also use AI to create custom animated GIFs from simple text prompts, or you can take matters into your own hands and create custom designs by sketching in the app with your finger and stacking up to 30 layers of doodles. The Lightwall is smart home compatible and supports Matter, too, so in addition to managing it through Govee’s app you can control it using voice commands through smart devices with Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa.