Hugh Herr, biophysicist, engineer, inventor, and pioneer in bionics and biomechatronics, is redefining the relationship between the human body and technology. His work envisions a future in which bodies can be adapted, augmented, and redesigned to expand human possibilities.
In 1982, at seventeen, Herr lost both legs below the knee following a climbing accident in New Hampshire. Determined to return to climbing, he began designing his own prostheses. Today, he is a professor at the MIT Media Lab and co-director of the K. Lisa Yang Center for Bionics. His research has evolved from powered prostheses that replicate biological movement to neural interfaces that enable artificial limbs to become integrated with the nervous system and experienced as part of the body. Herr’s team built a bionic leg for a ballroom dancer and worked on new surgical protocols to develop prostheses that can be sensed and controlled by the brain.
In this conversation with Paola Antonelli, Herr discusses his vision for all bodies, his development of powered footwear, and the role of artists in imagining new physical possibilities. They also explore the ethics of human augmentation, access to advanced prosthetics, and a future in which the distinction between biological and artificial body parts might disappear.
You can find images related to this interview on our Instagram grid @design.emergency.
Design Emergency is supported by a grant from the Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts.
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