Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

Edward F. Schlafly is a leading instrument scientist whose work has been pivotal in building the robotic focal plane systems that power the next generation of massive spectroscopic surveys. His primary research areas include astronomical instrumentation, fiber-optic positioning, and astrometric calibration for large-scale structure and dark energy studies. Schlafly’s major contribution is the design and implementation of the 5,020 robotic fiber positioners for the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI), a revolutionary system that automatically retargets optical fibers every 10–20 minutes with micron-level precision. This technology, detailed in his most-cited paper (175 citations), enables DESI to simultaneously measure spectra of 40 million galaxies and quasars, creating the largest 3D map of the universe to date. He also led the astrometric calibration of the DESI focal plane and contributed to the fiber system for the Sloan Digital Sky Survey V (SDSS-V). With over 240 total citations across his top papers, Schlafly’s work is foundational to modern robotic spectroscopy, directly enabling transformative discoveries in cosmology and galaxy evolution.