3 Inventions from the University of Utah that Have Impacted the World

What does a bionic leg, PDFs, and planes made of titanium have in common? They are all inventions made possible from the University of Utah. It is amazing what has been discovered and is currently being developed right here in Utah. 

Prosthetic Legs That Function Through Thought 

Tommaso Lenzi is an associate professor at the U who has worked to combine prosthetics with computers. He has been focused on improving the lives of those who have lost limbs and has made amazing strides in the last ten years. 

These robotic innovations can be controlled by the brain. They can literally move it by thinking. This has been a huge improvement for those using prosthetics. The technology has been built and will soon be available all over the world. 

Company That Changed Computing 

The co-founder of Adobe was a Utah graduate and helped develop many of the innovations we use with computers today. John Warnock began by figuring out a way to render solid objects in his thesis back in 1969. 

He went on to develop illustrator and the PDF format that propelled computers forward. He has since passed away but had a big impact in creating innovative solutions to computer software. 

Titanium is Strong, Light, and Hard to Produce 

Using titanium to build planes would reduce the cost of fuel as the metal is half the weight of steel. The hard part is producing that much titanium would be very expensive. A University of Utah professor has changed all that. 

Zhigang Zak Fang invented a way using hydrogen and magnesium to get titanium. His research has been funded by the Department of Energy and will make a big difference with how much energy we use to travel. 

Read More: University of Utah Creates A Mining Disaster For Chile

These inventions at the University of Utah are just some of the incredible work that has been and is being done to change things as we know it for the better.