PeopleofSuperintelligence

Researcher

Masahiro Mori

Also known as 森政弘

Masahiro Mori was a roboticist whose 1970 essay introduced the uncanny valley, a concept that continues to affect robot development. Born in 1927 in Mie Prefecture, he studied electrical engineering at Nagoya University. In 1969 he became a professor of control engineering at Tokyo Institute of Technology, retiring in 1987. He began bipedal walking robot research in his laboratory in 1971, and his student Toru Takenaka later developed ASIMO at Honda. In 1988 he founded Japan's first nationwide robot-building competition, and he died in 2025 as a professor emeritus.

Timeline

  1. 1927

    Electrical engineering at Nagoya

    He is born in 1927 in Mie Prefecture and graduates in electrical engineering from Nagoya University.

  2. 1969–1987

    Professor at Tokyo Tech

    He becomes a professor in control engineering at Tokyo Institute of Technology in 1969 and retires in 1987.

  3. 1970

    The uncanny valley essay

    In 1970, he publishes the essay that introduces the uncanny valley, a concept that continues to affect robot development.

  4. 1971–1975

    Walking robots and swarms

    He begins bipedal walking robot research in his laboratory in 1971, and at EXPO Okinawa in 1975 he exhibits robots that form groups. His student Toru Takenaka later develops ASIMO at Honda.

  5. 1988

    Founding Japan's robot contest

    In 1988, he founds Japan's first nationwide robot-building competition.

  6. 2012

    English translation in IEEE

    In 2012, the first English version of his paper appears in IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine.

  7. 2025

    Death as professor emeritus

    He dies in 2025 as a professor emeritus of Tokyo Institute of Technology.

Sources and credits

Photo: We have no published photo of Masahiro Mori yet. Send us a free-licensed photo.

  1. Robotics and Buddhism: The Limits and Possibilities of Science in the AI Era | Japan Book Bank japanbookbank.com. Checked 15 October 2026.
  2. Obituary: Prof. Emeritus Masahiro Mori, world-renowned robotics pioneer, dies at 98 | Science Tokyo isct.ac.jp. Checked 15 October 2026.
  3. Professor Emeritus Masahiro Mori, founder of Robocon, talks to CNN about future of robots | Tokyo Tech News | Tokyo Institute of Technology titech.ac.jp. Checked 15 October 2026.
  4. An Uncanny Mind: Masahiro Mori on the Uncanny Valley and Beyond - IEEE Spectrum spectrum.ieee.org. Checked 15 October 2026.
  5. Masahiro Mori (roboticist) - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org. Checked 15 October 2026.
  6. Experts Plunge Into the Uncanny Valley, Celebrate Masahiro Mori - IEEE Spectrum spectrum.ieee.org. Checked 15 October 2026.