The future of prosthetics – Hugh Herr on the dream of eliminating physical disability

Every guest is our host Ranga’s favourite guest, of course – but this conversation in particular has him on the edge of his seat: Hugh Herr is a professor at the MIT Media Lab, where he leads the Biomechatronics Group and co-directs the K. Lisa Yang Center for Bionics. But first of all, he is known for transferring the whole field: After losing both legs in a climbing accident in 1982, Hugh turned personal adversity into scientific innovation. In this episode of Taste of Bionics, he talks to Ranga about developing advanced prosthetic limbs that integrate with the human nervous system, restoring mobility and enhancing physical capabilities. How do bionic limbs work? What about the future of human-machine interfaces? And what are the challenges in translating lab research to real-world applications? Tune in to discover how technology, resilience, and curiosity can redefine what it means to be human and why Ottobock is at the forefront of enabling that future. Find out more about Ottobock: https://corporate.ottobock.com/en/home