Sixteen-year-old Jared Lepora of Bristol has been making some big splashes in the water in the robotics community. He and his daughter even developed an amazing Lego only robotic hand! Jared has poured almost two years into this initiative. His diligence and creativity have produced a beautiful, brilliant invention that entertains and informs while serving a wonderfully practical purpose.
Jared’s journey into robotics was supported by his father, Nathan Lepora, a professor in robotics at the University of Bristol. It was during this fight that they joined forces to create the robotic hand. It features four fingers, and every finger actually has three movable joints. This design allows your hand to naturally wrap around virtually any shape. From kitchen counter to office desk, it demonstrates its versatility and practicality.
The robotic hand is animated with two motors. Its unique tendon system replicates the natural movement of a human hand. This intricate mechanism illustrates Jared’s understanding of engineering principles, which he has nurtured under his father’s guidance. This tight-knit culture led to their collective publication of their findings and innovations around the robotic hand. Their joint project culminated in them co-authoring a scholarly article.
Jared’s achievements earned him an invitation to speak at the prestigious Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS) 2025 conference in Hangzhou, China. At only 16 years of age, he broke the age barrier becoming the youngest ever speaker to grace the platform. He beamed as he showed off his project, wearing a school blazer and posing alongside his awe-inspiring Lego contraption. His speech was a great demonstration of the technical brilliance behind his invention. Most importantly, it fired up future robotics enthusiasts among the 8000 attendees.
While attending the conference, Jared was able to meet some of the top professors in the field of robotics. This experience immensely broadened his network and knowledge base. His talks have sparked imaginations all across the world on what educational toys could do. Nathan Lepora described his excitement and hope that the Lego hand could eventually develop into a commercial version—a “proper Lego set for other children” to assemble and play with.
