Sixteen-year-old Jared Lepora from Bristol has garnered attention for his remarkable achievement in robotics: he has created a fully functional robotic hand made from Lego. Jared spent close to two years to bring this ingenious project to fruition. His creativity flows through in every aspect of his work, from the artistry to the engineering.
The robotic hand includes four dextrous fingers, each with three point-joint fingers giving it the dexterity and movement just like the human hand. It operates the three fingers via two motors. This arrangement motivates the tendons, allowing the hand to grasp a wide range of objects, including apples and mugs. This highly creative approach to design shows the promise of applying advanced robotics with relatively simple, plentiful materials, such as Lego.
At home Jared had the priceless assistance of his dad, Nathan Lepora, a robotics professor at Bristol University. Together, they co-authored an academic paper describing the workings and potential uses of the robotic hand. Nathan hoped that their creation would inspire others, and if it did, in Nathan’s words,
“Wouldn’t it be amazing if it could be a proper Lego set for other children? That would be exciting.”
Their work has not gone unnoticed. Jared was invited to speak at the Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS) 2025 conference in Hangzhou, China, where he became the youngest speaker in attendance. His presentation impressed attendees and allowed him to connect with prominent figures in the field, including top professor Antonio Bicchi.
The robotic hand recently premiered at the IROS convention and was an instant hit among the robotics community and the general public. The innovative use of Lego to create a working robotic hand highlights the potential for educational toys to inspire the next generation of engineers and inventors.
“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?”
As he goes on to hone his craft with robotics, Jared’s story is an example to budding tinkerers all over the world. He hopes to take his Lego Shuttle further yet. His vision and energy, blended with a little bit of magic, are creating exciting new technology that is already yielding profound results.
As he continues to develop his skills in robotics, Jared’s journey serves as an inspiration for young innovators everywhere. With aspirations that include expanding the reach of his Lego creation, he exemplifies how passion and creativity can lead to groundbreaking results in technology.
