Sixteen-year-old Jared Lepora from Bristol has made headlines with his innovative creation: a fully functional robotic hand constructed entirely from Lego. He dedicated almost two years to finishing this incredible project. It is a testament to his creativity, and it demonstrates the practical potential of robotics to really change the way we go about our daily lives.
Jared’s robotic hand has four fingers, and each finger has three joints. Movements are controlled by two motors that through tendons drive the movements. This avatar design frees the hand to catch different types of objects—from fruits to drinks served up in cups. We especially love that it highlights amazing form, fit and function versatility! The teenage inventor had key assistance from his dad. Nathan Lepora, a robotics professor at the University of Bristol, was instrumental in his success. Jointly, they co-authored an academic paper outlining the design and mechanics of the robotic hand.
Their joint efforts have not gone unnoticed. Jared recently accepted an invitation to speak at the Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS) 2025 conference in Hangzhou, China. With this honor, he became the youngest speaker in history at the event. His technique attracted the attention of some of the world’s leading professors and experts in the field of robotics. This made way for valuable and unexpected networking opportunities for him.
Reflecting on his inspiration, Jared stated, “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?” That spirit not only characterizes his passion for building things with robots, but deeply influenced the way he thinks of his father’s work.
Nathan Lepora expressed his hopes for the project, stating, “Wouldn’t it be amazing if it could be a proper Lego set for other children? That would be exciting.” This vision speaks to their passion to influence the next generation of young engineers and inventors.
That same creative invention was awarded at a recent West Coast robotics convention, where Jared and Nathan displayed the robotic hand. The event underscored the need to inspire young people to enter STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) careers.
