Building Bionics
Tommaso Lenzi, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Director of HGN Lab for Bionic Engineering, University of Utah
Friday, October 4th at 11:45 am
In-Person in SMBB 2650
Tommaso Lenzi is an associate professor of mechanical and, by courtesy, biomedical engineering at the University of
Utah. He is also a Core Faculty member of the Utah Robotics Center and the Director of the Ergonomics and Safety Program
at the Rocky Mountain Center for Occupational and Environmental Health. Dr. Lenzi leads the HGN Lab for Bionic Engineering,
which currently hosts one research scientist, two postdoctoral fellows, 13 graduate students, and several undergraduates.
His research is supported by various funding sources, including NIH, NSF, DOD, NIOSH, and the private sector.
Dr. Lenzi’s research aims to create human-centered technologies and interventions that enable unrestricted movement and
independent living for all. His work focuses on the intersection of design, robotics, biomechanics, and physical medicine
aiming to break traditional engineering and medical boundaries. Dr. Lenzi’s research has been recognized with over 80 peerreviewed
scientific publications, including papers in prestigious journals such as Science Robotics and Nature Medicine, and
13 patents and applications. He has earned numerous awards, including the NSF CAREER Award (2020), the Presidential
Scholarship from the University of Utah (2023), and the TIME Magazine’s Best Invention of the Year award (2023).
Abstract: The field of bionics presents a unique opportunity to address the unmet needs of millions of individuals living
with physical disabilities. Critical to this goal is the development of artificial systems and technologies that can seamlessly
merge with the human body – restoring, replacing, or augmenting its capabilities. This talk will present ongoing work at the
Hans Georg Näder (HGN) Lab for Bionic Engineering to advance the science of bionics. It will describe novel electromechanical
designs that will empower next-generation bionic limbs to match the strength and speed of biological legs. It will present
Intelligent control systems that synchronize the movements of the bionic leg with the human nervous system, enabling
individuals with amputation to perform activities that are impossible with conventional prostheses. Finally, it will discuss
critical challenges and areas of future research that must advance for bionics to become a part of our lives.
Website: https://hgnlab.mech.utah.edu/