Sixteen-year-old Jared Lepora of Bristol took robotics accomplishments to a new level. He built a functioning robotic hand out of Lego, displaying his incredible ingenuity. It took him almost two years to finish this massive undertaking and ambitious labor of love. Along the way, his dad, Nathan Lepora, a University of Bristol professor of robotics, offered truly indispensable advice.
This remarkable robotic hand features four fingers, each with three axes of movement. This interesting design allows it to copy the flexibility of a human hand. The device is powered by two motors, which control the device’s fingers through a complex tendon system. This innovative design allows the robotic hand to pick up delicate objects such as fruit or sturdy objects such as coffee cups, demonstrating real world applications.
Jared Lepora expressed his inspiration for the project, stating, “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?” This innovative twist speaks to his deep passion for robotics. It sheds light on the great learning opportunities that can come from using everyday materials, including something as simple as Lego.
Nathan Lepora hopes his son’s invention is an outlier. He imagines the Lego robotic hand one day becoming a “proper Lego set for other kids.” This would give them the opportunity to experience robotics in a new, captivating and enjoyable format. He remarked, “Wouldn’t it be amazing if it could be a proper Lego set for other children, that would be exciting.”
The duo’s persistent endeavors eventually resulted in the drafting of an undergraduate academic paper explaining their unique experiences building the robotic hand. Their research attracted lots of attention. Due to this, Jared was invited to give a keynote speech at the Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS) 2025 conference in Hangzhou, China. At only 16 years old, he became the youngest ever speaker at the illustrious event.
During the conference, Jared met several leading professors in the field of robotics, further expanding his knowledge and network within the industry. Joined by his father, Robert offered strong, motivating insights from his ambitious, successful project and left many attendees inspired by his clear success.
