Satoshi Tadokoro received the B. E. degree in precision machinery engineering in 1982, the M. E. degree in 1984 from the University of Tokyo, and the D. E. degree in 1991. He was an associate professor of Kobe University in 1993-2005, and has been a professor of Graduate School of Information Sciences (GSIS), Tohoku University since 2005, and was a Deputy Dean in 2012-2013, Vice Dean in 2014. In 2012, he joined newly established International Research Institute of Disaster Sciences in Tohoku University. He was Japan Cabinet Office ImPACT Program Manager in 2014-2019. He has been the Director of Tough Cyberphysical AI Research Center since 2019.
He was the project director of MEXT DDT Project on rescue robotics in 2002-2007 having contribution of more than 100 professors nationwide, and NEDO Project that developed a rescue robot Quince which is being used at the Fukushima-Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident since June 2011. He was the project manager of Japan Cabinet Office ImPACT Tough Robotics Challenge Project in 2014-2019. In 2016-17, his serpentine robot, Active Scope Camera was also used for investigation of Fukushima-Daiichi.
He established RoboCupRescue in 1999, TC on Rescue Engineering of SICE in 2000 (the first chair), IEEE Robotics and Automation Society (RAS) TC on Safety, Security and Rescue Robotics in 2001 (the first co-chair), and International Rescue System Institute (IRS) in 2002.
He was a Board Member of Robotics Society of Japan in 2002-2003, IEEE RAS Japan Chapter Chair in 2003-2005, a Trustee of The RoboCup Federation in 2005-2010, a Board Member of Society of Instrument and Control Engineers in 2007-2008, a Board Member of Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers in 2020-2021, IEEE Robotics and Automation Society (RAS) AdCom Member in 2008-2010, Chair of JSME Robotics Mechatronics Division (RMD) in 2009, IEEE RAS Vice President for Technical Activities in 2012-2014, and the IEEE RAS President-Elect in 2014-2015, the IEEE RAS President in 2016-2017, the IEEE Technical Activity Board Member in 2016-2017, the IEEE RAS Junior Past President in 2018-2019, and the IEEE RAS Senior Past President in 2020-2021. He is the President of International Rescue System Institute since 2002.
He received IEEE Fellow in 2009, JSME Fellow in 2005, SICE Fellow in 2011, and RSJ Fellow in 2012, IEEE Robotics and Automation Society Distinguished Service Award, and Robotics Society of Japan Achievement Award in 2013, METI The Robot Award 2008, FDMA Commissioner Highest Award in 2008, JSME Funai Award in 2007, Best Book Author Award from AEM Society in 2006, JSME Robotics and Mechatronics Award in 2011, JSME Robotics and Mechatronics Academic Achievement Award in 2005, RSJ Robots and Society Award in 2011, SICE SI Academic Achievement Award in 2014, IEEE Certificate in Recognition and Appreciation of Valued Services and Contributions in 2017, FDMA Comissioner’s Letter of Appreciation in 2018, Commendation for S&T by the Minister of MEXT Prize for S&T, JSME Technical Achievement Award, IEEE ICRA Best Paper Award on Mechanisms and Design in 2019, IEEE RAS George Saridis Leadership Award in Robotics and Automation in 2023, etc. He published Rescue Robotics from Springer, RoboCupRescue from Kyoritsu Publ., etc. His research interest is in rescue robotics and soft robotics.