IES eminent member Toshio Fukuda at the 2026 IEEE Laureate Forum & Honors Ceremony on 23 April 2026 in New York City

 

Prof. Toshio Fukuda, eminent IES member from Nagoya University is the 2026 IEEE Richard M. Emberson Award recipient for distinguished service advancing the technical objectives of IEEE, especially in the area of robotics.
Toshio Fukuda developed robotic microsystems for biomedical and industrial applications, advancing precision medicine and intelligent automation systems.

Congratulations, Prof. Fukuda!

 

Toshio Fukuda — Nagoya University

“For distinguished service advancing the technical objectives of IEEE, especially in the area of robotics.”
Sponsored by the IEEE Technical Activities Board

A towering researcher in robotics, Toshio Fukuda has authored 890 journal papers and 1,390 conference papers, while mentoring over 100 PhD students. From 2019-2025, he led Japan’s Moon Shot program, which aims to develop advanced AI robots that can learn, adapt, and collaborate with humans by 2050. Within the Robotics and Automation Society, Fukuda founded the IEEE Transactions on Mechatronics journal and helped establish several major international conferences, including Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS), Micromachine and Human Science (MHS), and Robot Human Interactive Communication (ROMAN), among others. These efforts have created important new research areas in the field, pushing the boundaries of technological innovation. He also led the creation of the IEEE Nanotechnology Council, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration across the field. Through his service as IEEE President, Region 10 Director, and Division X Director, he consistently advocated for member interests and drove organizational improvements. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Fukuda demonstrated decisive leadership and foresight. As IEEE President, he established the IEEE Academy on AI, IoT, and Smart Grid to provide industry professionals with accessible, cutting-edge technology education. This initiative promoted lifelong learning and strengthened community integrity by ensuring members could apply fundamental concepts in their work, regardless of their technical background. In a separate effort to promote global inclusion, he led the initiative to reduce IEEE membership fees for low-income countries. This critical change made it significantly easier for members in those regions to participate in IEEE activities, such as conferences and workshops. Through these and other initiatives, his commitment has left a lasting mark on the organization.

An IEEE Life Fellow, Fukuda is Professor Emeritus and Visiting Professor, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan; University Professor, and Vice President, Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology, Alexandria Governorate, Egypt.

 

Check the 2026 IEEE awards announcement: https://corporate-awards.ieee.org/recipient/toshio-fukuda/

Click to discover more rewarded IES members