Jacob A. George, PhD, is the Solzbacher-Chen Endowed Professor in the Departments of Electrical & Computer Engineering and Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at the University of Utah. He is also a foundational researcher for the Craig H. Neilsen Rehabilitation Hospital, Director of the Utah NeuroRobotics Lab, and Director of the Utah Neurotechnology Training Program.
In 2019, Dr. George made waves with the “LUKE Arm” (named after the robotic hand given to Luke Skywalker in The Empire Strikes Back), a prosthetic arm with the ability to feel objects by transmitting appropriate signals to the brain. Not only can the arm feel, but it can also be controlled by the user’s thoughts. Dr. George has since translated this technology to bionic exoskeletons to aid individuals with paralysis and to smartwatches that allow users to seamlessly control smart devices and augmented reality through thought.
Dr. George is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Utah “Innovator of the Year” Award, Forbes 30 Under 30, and the NIH Director’s DP5 Award.