Gallery: This Robot Baby Factory Is the Stuff of Nightmares

  • Reality Works
    Ackerman + Gruber
    01

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    A RealCare Baby lies on the repair desk.
  • Reality Works
    Ackerman + Gruber
    02

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    Realityworks also sells scientific models, like this one showing a pregnant torso.
  • Reality Works
    Ackerman + Gruber
    03

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    Baby heads fill a box at Realityworks.
  • Reality Works
    Ackerman + Gruber
    04

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    An employee hits a baby with a padded mallet to ensure it's functioning properly.
  • Reality Works
    Ackerman + Gruber
    05

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    Circuit boards fill a bin. The guts of each doll contain a circuit board, a rechargeable battery pack and sensors.
  • Reality Works
    Ackerman + Gruber
    06

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    Julie Nyhus is the company's manufacturing and operations manager. Behind her, a window offers a view into the factory.
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    Ackerman + Gruber
    07

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    Babies sit atop a shipment box at Realityworks.
  • Reality Works
    Ackerman + Gruber
    08

    161208-RealityWorks-00978.jpg

    Employee Nate Puzio likes to call himself the Supreme Overlord of Repairs. He sits at his station, where he fixes broken dolls.
  • Reality Works
    Ackerman + Gruber
    09

    161208-RealityWorks-00610.jpg

    An employee builds a tower of baby heads.
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    Ackerman + Gruber
    10

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    An employee repairs the speaker inside a doll.
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    Ackerman + Gruber
    11

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    A baby painted to look like Avatar sits atop a file cabinet.
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    Ackerman + Gruber
    12

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    Terri Lokken holds a completed RealCare Baby. She assembles the dolls and also tests them for quality control.
  • Reality Works
    Ackerman + Gruber
    13

    161208-RealityWorks-00646.jpg

    Realityworks has a trade-in program that allows users to send in old versions of the RealCare Baby for new ones. The vinyl dolls are disassembled and send to a recycling plant. The company has recycled 60,000 pounds of vinyl since 2008.
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