Sixteen-year-old Jared Lepora from Bristol has made headlines for his remarkable achievement in robotics: he has designed and built an advanced robotic hand using Lego. This innovative project, which took him nearly two years to complete, showcases not only his technical skills but his passion for engineering.
Jared’s model includes a robotic hand with four fingers that each contain three joints. The hand is controlled by two very strong servo-motors that pull on its tendons. This design allows it to easily pick up diverse items from apples to coffee mugs. Nathan Lepora, Jared’s father, is a professor of robotics at the University of Bristol. He was instrumental in Jared having the care and support he needed through the course of the project.
Recently, Jared had a stellar performance as the youngest ever keynote at this year’s Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS) 2025 conference. This marvelous and imaginative event was hosted in Hangzhou, China. He presented a public talk about his creation and its possible uses. After his presentation, he was warmly received by leading luminaries in the field. This experience deepened his passion for robotics even more.
“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 father-son duo went so far as to publish an academic paper describing their work on the Lego hand. Nathan definitely has his hopes up. In fact, he hopes their design will one day inspire a commercially available Lego set, which children will build themselves.
“Wouldn’t it be amazing if it could be a proper Lego set for other children, that would be exciting,” – Nathan Lepora
In one conference photo, a beaming Jared shows off his new school blazer. Beside him is an enormous Lego version of his own hand, and he looks overjoyed. His smile is one of pride in his accomplishment and gratitude for the help his father gave him during the testing. Nathan humorously noted the potential future dynamics of their relationship, saying, “And he had the idea of making one out of Lego…maybe he’ll become my boss someday.”
Jared Lepora’s amazing story is the prototypical tale of youth innovation in robotics. With the support of his father and his dedication to learning, he has created a project that not only showcases technical prowess but embodies the spirit of creativity and education in engineering.