Hugh Herr Presents “The Future of Bionics” at MKA’s Hemmeter History Lecture

Very quickly I envisioned this blank slate beneath my knees as an opportunity. If I were clever enough, I could design anything in that space.

– Hugh Herr

Montclair Kimberley Academy hosted an inspiring evening on October 16, 2024, as Hugh Herr, a world-renowned engineer and biophysicist, delivered a compelling lecture titled "The Future of Bionics: Exploration Without Fear." As a young man, Herr’s legs were amputated below the knee as a result of severe frostbite following a rock climbing accident during a blizzard. Since then, he has dedicated his life and career to developing technology that empowers individuals like himself to overcome physical limitations. Held in the Weiss Auditorium on the Upper School campus, the lecture brought together the MKA community to explore key innovations in bionics and the profound impact Herr’s work has had in reshaping the world’s understanding of what humans are capable of achieving with the help of technology.

Before the evening lecture, Herr engaged in a dynamic Q+A session with Upper School students, including groups like MKA’s Robotics Club, as well as students from Montclair High School. The students asked thoughtful questions, touching on topics ranging from Herr’s personal and professional challenges to diversity and accessibility in the field of bionics. On being resilient, Herr explained to students that he’s had many experiments that didn’t work. “I don’t look at it as a failure,” he said. “It’s a step closer. That philosophy is very important to being an explorer and a researcher.”

Herr admitted to not being the most focused student during his younger years, and although he thought he’d spend his life being an extreme athlete, it was the unique perspective of his accident that catapulted him into his love of science and math, which then led him into developing technology. “I was still me and I still loved life. A deep love of life starts in the mind and heart… not in whether you can run a mile.” He went on to encourage students that when choosing a career they should be careful to choose something that they deeply care about.

Herr sat down with David Hessler, a long-time history teacher at the Upper School and 20-year Hemmeter Lecture veteran, to discuss his groundbreaking work, and how the life-altering accident in 1982 became the foundation of his career. “People told me I was crippled and that my life was over,” he stated. However, Herr challenged those traditional ideas of what it means to live with a disability. Within just 12 months, he was able to begin designing embodiments that would allow him to climb again. He stated that technology wasn’t just a tool but that it, “has the capacity to heal and extend human capability.”

Herr introduced the audience to the concept of neurological embodiment, explaining how his designs emulate spinal cord control, allowing individuals to feel and move their prosthetics as part of their body. The embodiments he created have now been fitted to thousands of people, enabling them to live again without certain limitations.

As the night drew to a close, Herr reflected on the powerful idea of what being a human is and the ability society has to redefine beauty. During both portions of the evening, he shared a sentiment that captured the spirit of the evening saying, “Science doesn’t always work, but sometimes it does and it’s magic.”

Herr’s words serve as a reminder and align with MKA’s values that in every aspect of life and learning there remains room for wonder and the belief that anything is possible. Events and discussions like this one open doors for future exploration in science, technology, and innovation, offering students and the broader MKA community the opportunity to learn through discovery, think critically, and explore new perspectives, as well as engage with leaders in various fields as students prepare to become innovators of the future.

View photos from the event by visiting www.mka.org/photogalleries.

Hugh Herr is a rock climber, engineer, and biophysicist. Time Magazine coined Dr. Herr the "Leader of the Bionic Age" because of his revolutionary work in the emerging field of biomechatronics. Herr is the author and co-author of over 200 peer-reviewed manuscripts and patents, chronicling the science and technology behind his many innovations. He is currently Professor of Media Arts and Sciences at the MIT Media Lab and is the Co-Director of the K. Lisa Yang Center for Bionics at MIT.

Learn more about Hugh Herr at https://www.media.mit.edu/people/hherr/overview/.