Lux Optics co-founder Sebastiaan de With made headlines when he joined Apple in late January. The company was behind Halide, one of the most popular photography apps for the iPhone, which gained a cult following for its robust pro-level controls.

Apple was apparently a big enough fan that it tried to acquire the developer last summer. Those talks never bore fruit, and eventually the company simply hired de With. At the time, it was widely believed that Apple had poached him from Lux. But new allegations from a lawsuit filed by co-founder Ben Sandofsky in the California Superior Court of Santa Cruz claim de With was fired for financial misconduct in December of 2025.

According to The Information, the suit “accuses de With of improperly using more than $150,000 in Lux corporate funds to pay for personal expenses,” as well as “taking Lux source code and confidential material with him when he joined Apple.”

An attorney for de With denied those claims and said that “The attempt to insert Apple into this dispute appears designed to create leverage and attract attention.“

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.

Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report. Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide — free when you join my CYBERGUY.COM newsletter.

ROBOTS POWER BREAKTHROUGH IN PREGNANCY RESEARCH, BOOSTING IVF SUCCESS RATES  

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.

REMOTE ROBOT SURGERY REMOVES CANCER 1,500 MILES AWAY

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.

Take my quiz: How safe is your online security?

Think your devices and data are truly protected? Take this quick quiz to see where your digital habits stand. From passwords to Wi-Fi settings, you’ll get a personalized breakdown of what you’re doing right and what needs improvement. Take my Quiz here: Cyberguy.com.       

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.

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.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report. Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide — free when you join my CYBERGUY.COM newsletter.

Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com.  All rights reserved.

Less than a week ago, Apple announced the forthcoming AirPods Max 2, a pair of over-ear headphones that leverage the company’s H2 chip for AI-powered live translation, conversation awareness, and a host of newer features. However, if you’re okay with a pair of earbuds, the AirPods Pro 3 offer access to all the same features for less — especially given they’re currently on sale at Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy for $199.99 ($50 off), matching their second-best price to date.

For iPhone owners, nothing else really compares to the AirPods Pro 3. Apple’s latest pair of premium earbuds deliver the best active noise cancellation and richest sound of any AirPods model to date, combined with a more comfortable, angled design that fits securely and naturally in your ear canal. They also feature a new XXS ear tip size and a more robust IP57 rating for sweat and water resistance, making them better suited for long-distance runs and various gym activities.

Speaking of workouts, the Pro 3 can also pull double duty as a fitness tracker, thanks to a built-in heart rate sensor that works with Apple’s Fitness app to track calories burned across more than 50 workout types. It’s a welcome addition if you don’t use an Apple Watch; however, it may not be as useful for those who already own and rely on Apple’s wearable for its health tracking and wellness features.

Lastly, as mentioned up top, the AirPods Pro 3 also boast an H2 chip, allowing for the aforementioned real-time translation features and Apple’s newer Voice Isolation tech, which uses machine learning to isolate and enhance voice quality by removing unwanted background noise. That’s on top of their seamless integration with other Apple devices, mind you, which lets you take advantage of automatic device switching and a Find My-compatible charging case.