Thanks to advances in technology and intelligent algorithms, today there are applications to find out what your child will be like, which simulate what our descendants will look like. But how exactly do these apps work? Are they reliable or merely a fun way to satisfy our curiosity?
In this article, we will delve into the world of apps that promise to reveal our children’s faces, exploring their accuracy, reliability and the ethical aspects that surround them.
Best apps to know what your child will be like
In an age dominated by technology and insatiable curiosity, it’s not surprising that many of us are drawn to tools that promise to give us a glimpse into the future.
One of these modern fascinations is the ability to visualize, even in a playful way, what your child will be like on their cell phone. And among the main applications we can highlight:
- FaceApp
- BabyPredictor
- Morph Thing
- Reminisce
- Baby Maker
FaceApp
Baby Maker is one of several apps available that allow users to simulate what a baby would look like based on photos of the parents. It falls into the category of entertainment apps and does not claim to offer scientifically accurate predictions.
If you are considering using Baby Maker, it is important to remember that the result is for fun and entertainment purposes only. A baby’s actual appearance is influenced by a myriad of genetic factors that are far more complex than an app’s algorithms can simulate.
BabyPredictor
BabyPredictor is a mobile app that allows users to estimate their baby’s gender. It uses a data-driven algorithm to predict the baby’s gender based on conception date, mother’s age, and other factors.
The app is available for download on the App Store and Google Play. It’s free to use, but offers in-app purchases for additional features, like the ability to see the odds for each gender.
Morph Thing
Morph Thing is a tool for mobile devices that allows you to merge two facial images, resulting in a unique combination of both. Using advanced morphing algorithms, the application generates a face that incorporates characteristics of the two original faces.
In addition to being a creative and fun way to generate surprising images, Morph Thing also offers an intriguing window into understanding the transmission of facial features across generations.
Reminisce
The Remini app’s “Child Simulation” feature allows users to view a representation of their potential offspring by merging features from photos of the parents.
Using advanced artificial intelligence algorithms, the application predicts the combination of parents’ facial features in the offspring. To access this functionality, the user must choose two clear, high-quality images of each parent.
After selecting the gender and estimated age of the desired child, Remini will process the images, using an AI model trained on extensive sets of facial data, thus generating a projection that combines the parents’ features.
Baby Maker
Baby Maker is a tool for smartphones that allows the simulation of offspring based on users’ facial images. Using advanced artificial intelligence techniques, the app merges parents’ traits to generate a visual representation of a potential child, combining characteristics of both.
How do parenting apps work?
Parenting apps often use a combination of image processing algorithms and basic genetic characteristics to predict what a future child would look like based on photos of the parents. However, it’s important to note that in most cases, these apps are more for fun than scientific accuracy.
Here’s a brief summary of how they generally work:
- Image Upload : The user usually needs to upload two photos, one of each parent.
- Feature Detection : The application uses facial recognition techniques to identify specific features in each photo, such as eye position, nose shape, skin color, hair type, among others.
- Feature Combination : Based on predefined algorithms, the app tries to combine or merge the features of the parents. For example, if both parents have blue eyes, the simulated “child” could also have blue eyes. However, genetic traits, especially dominant and recessive ones, are much more complex than this simplification.
- Final Image Creation : After combining the characteristics, the application generates a simulated image of the “child”. The technology behind this varies, but may include neural networks and other advanced image processing techniques to create a realistic simulation.
- Optional – Additional Features : Some more advanced applications may include options to predict other traits, such as the likelihood of freckles or hair color, based on user-supplied information about family histories.
Are simulation apps accurate in predicting what my child will look like?
Parenting apps are mainly developed for entertainment and not for accurate predictions. While these apps can create interesting and sometimes realistic images based on photos of parents, human genetics is much more complex than these apps’ algorithms can address. Let’s better understand why:
- Genetic Complexity : Many traits are polygenic, meaning they are determined by more than one gene. For example, skin color, eye color, and height are influenced by several different genes. Furthermore, how these genes interact can be highly variable.
- Dominance and Recessivity : Some traits are determined by dominant and recessive genes. An application may not consider all the nuances of this interaction.
- Environmental Influence : In addition to genetics, environmental factors can influence an individual’s appearance and development. For example, childhood nutrition can influence adult height.
- Technological Limitations : The facial recognition technology used in many of these applications is better suited to identifying and merging existing facial features than predicting actual genetic matches.
- Genetic Range : Even if both parents have a certain trait, this does not guarantee that their children will have it. For example, two brown-eyed parents may have a child with blue eyes, depending on the recessive genes they carry.
- Family History : Without a complete analysis of the family’s genetic history, it is difficult to make accurate predictions. Characteristics that appear in previous generations (such as grandparents) may reappear in grandchildren.
Final considerations
In short, while parenting apps can be fun and provide an intriguing look at what a future child might look like, they should not be viewed as precise or scientifically accurate tools.
Human genetics are incredibly diverse and complex, and a child’s true appearance is a unique and unpredictable combination of genes from both parents, influenced by a number of factors.