Sixteen-year-old Jared Lepora of Bristol scored some impressive firsts in the field of robotics. It wasn’t just a vision; he designed a working robotic hand entirely out of Lego. It took him over two years to create this pioneering device from scratch. It has four fingers, each with three joints, and it is driven by motors using tendons.
Jared’s high-tech prosthetic that he can open and close to pick up things like lemons and coffee cups has real world applications. With professional advice from his father Nathan Lepora, a robotics professor at the University of Bristol, the project snowballed. In that time, they have jointly penned an academic paper describing Jared’s invention in detail.
The culmination of Jared’s efforts was recognized when he delivered a speech at the Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS) 2025 conference in Hangzhou, China. At this event, he went on to become the youngest speaker ever, wowing conference attendees and meeting world-renowned professors and leaders in the field 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 explained about his motivation to build the robotic hand.
Nathan shared his hope that Jared’s invention would continue to inspire generations for years to come.
“Wouldn’t it be amazing if it could be a proper Lego set for other children, that would be exciting,” – Nathan Lepora
The clever design of the prototype robotic hand highlights Jared’s creativity and thoughtfulness. It serves as a tribute to the unique collaborative process arrived at by father and son. During their time at the robotics convention, they shared insights and exchanged ideas with peers and professionals in the robotics community.
Jared’s accomplishment is a shining testament of what’s possible when youth innovate in technology. Through his work, he skillfully marries weighty robotic concepts with the fun, flexible channel of Lego bricks. This is clear evidence that creativity has no age limit.