Neural interfacing, bionic engineering, and regenerative medicine are transforming the cyborg from a trope of science fiction into a lived reality. MIT biophysicist Hugh Herr—who wears the bionic prosthetic legs of his own design—and artist-researcher Ana Rajčević will present on their work before joining me in conversation on the spectacular body augmentation of the living cyborg.
As a courtesy to paid subscribers to this publication or to Pioneer Works Broadcast, the conversation will be livestreamed here. Join us live in time. If you are in NYC, join us live in person at Pioneer Works.
Who: Hugh Herr, Ana Rajčević, and Janna Levin
What: Bionics and Body Alchemy
Where: Via livestream or via physical transportation to Pioneer Works
When: Sunday July 19th, 2026, 7pm
Why: Because, fascinating
How: By the grace of gadgets, technology, and subscribing below.
Dr. Hugh Herr is a pioneer of the Bionic Age. After losing both legs to a climbing accident, he engineered his own specialized prostheses to return to the sport at an elite level. Named a “Leader of the Bionic Age” by TIME magazine, he is a Professor at the MIT Media Lab, Director of the MIT Biomechatronics Group, and Co-Director of the K. Lisa Yang Center for Bionics. His breakthrough innovations—including the EmPower ankle-foot prosthesis and novel mechanoneural interfaces that connect the human nervous system directly to synthetic computation—marry physiology with electromechanics to restore mobility and redefine the boundaries of the body. The author of more than 350 peer-reviewed publications and patents, Herr’s work aims to fundamentally transform the relationship between humanity and technology.
Dr. Ana Rajčević is an artist and research scientist whose work exists at the avant-garde intersection of anatomy, embodied design, and robotics. She is a Research Scientist at the MIT Media Lab, where she leads Hybrid Embodiments research within the Biomechatronics Group, as well as a Distinguished Artist at MIT’s Center for Art, Science & Technology (CAST). Over the past decade, she has driven groundbreaking investigations into chimeric embodiment — asking whether humans can inhabit non-anthropomorphic, animal-inspired body architectures, such as a neurally integrated, octopus-inspired robotic limb, that challenge traditional boundaries of human form and cognition. Her award-winning work has been exhibited globally, including at the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Triennial, the Venice Design Biennale, and the Science Museum London.
Janna Levin is the Claire Tow Professor of physics and astronomy at Barnard College of Columbia University. A Guggenheim Fellow, she has contributed to our understanding of black holes, extra dimensions, and cosmology. She is the Founding Director of Sciences at Pioneer Works and the co-editor-in-chief of Pioneer Works Broadcast. She often contributes to news, documentaries, and radio, including as the presenter of the NOVA feature Black Hole Apocalypse on PBS and as a contributor to CBS, CNN, and NBC. She has authored books on black holes and the universe—Black Hole Blues, How the Universe Got its Spots, and Black Hole Survival Guide—as well as a PEN award–winning novel, A Madman Dreams of Turing Machines. You can find her current writings in Higher Dimensions.
Inter-dimensional traveling with a friend?
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