Remember the Iron Man Movie? Jacobsen, a distinguished professor in the department of Medical Engineering, founded Sarcos, a company based at the U that creates robotic suits that give people superhuman capabilities. Jacobsen has been at the forefront of robotic and prosthetic technology for decades. For example, in 1980 he produced the Utah Arm, a prosthetic limb that gives the user precise and sensitive control over both the hand and elbow. His robotic inventions orchestrated the Bellagio fountains in Las Vegas and provide the functionality behind many Disney and Universal Studios theme park rides.

Jacobsen's impact has been recognized through many national and state awards. He was elected to the National Academy of Engineering, the Institute of Medicine and the National Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetic. He won the Leonardo Da Vinci Award from the American society of Mechanical Engineers, the Pioneer of Robotics award from the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, and the Governor's Medal for Science and Technology. In January, Jacobsen received one of five "Most Prolific Inventor Awards" by the U's Technology Commercialization Office for having more than 200 inventions. He founded many centers and companies: the Center for Engineering Design at the U, Motion Control (the company evolved into Iomed), Sarcos (now Raytheon-Sarcos), Micro-Drugs, Eye-port, Micro Ject, Precision Vascular, Intelligent Microinfusion, Sarcos Microsystems, and Sterling Technologies. In addition, Jacobsen has managed 359 research projects and employed more than 200 Utahns in his companies.