16-year-old Jared Lepora from Bristol has been making the news this week after creating a fully-functioning robotic hand from Lego bricks. It took him just under two years to realize this unusually innovative project. It’s an accomplishment that brilliantly showcases his engineering skills and creativity at a remarkably young age.
Our modular, robotic, anthropomorphic, dexterous hand has four fingers. Under each finger are three joints, allowing it to mimic the flexibility of a human hand. Initially, Jared designed the hand to be powered by two motors. These motors work with tendons, making it possible for the hand to pick up different items—from fruit to cups. His dad, Nathan Lepora, a robotics professor at the University of Bristol, helped him at every stage of the construction.
Jared’s remarkable achievement has garnered significant recognition. He has been invited to speak at the Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS) 2025 conference in Hangzhou, China, making him the youngest speaker at this prestigious event. Together with his father, Jared published an academic article documenting how they designed the Lego hand and how it works.
His father, Eric, was a child inventor and always encouraged Jared to invent things—even taking him to robotics conventions. He’s never not in a school-branded blazer, black turtleneck, and white personal lanyard. Nathan is beaming as he speaks about what his son has done. He hopes to one day commercialize the Lego hand, successfully bridging the worlds of art and commerce.
“Wouldn’t it be amazing if it could be a proper Lego set for other children? That would be exciting,” – Nathan Lepora.
The joint effort of father and son emphasizes just how critical mentorship can be in encouraging the next generation of innovators. Most of all, Nathan wishes that their collective quest will encourage other young inventors to enter the realm of robotics.
“My dad specializes in making advanced robot hands and I thought these principles were always really cool, so why not make it out of Lego?” – Jared Lepora.
The collaboration between father and son highlights the importance of mentorship in fostering innovation. Nathan hopes that their joint efforts will inspire other young inventors to explore the world of robotics.