Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

M. Jhabvala is a pioneering figure in infrared detector technology and space-based Earth observation, whose career at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center has fundamentally advanced the use of strained-layer superlattice (SLS) and quantum well infrared photodetector (QWIP) systems. Their research focuses on developing compact, multi-spectral infrared cameras for orbital platforms, with a landmark contribution being the Compact Thermal Imager (CTI)—a dual-band SLS-based instrument installed on the International Space Station in 2018. This instrument, described in their most-cited paper (13 citations), served as a critical pathfinder for next-generation Earth imaging from space. Jhabvala’s work traces back to pioneering DARPA-funded QWIP development in 1988, which laid the groundwork for scalable two-dimensional detector arrays. Their recent efforts have produced next-generation multi-band SLS imaging systems that push the boundaries of spectral discrimination and miniaturization. With a career spanning from foundational detector physics to operational space instruments, Jhabvala’s research has directly enabled more capable, compact thermal imagers for satellite platforms—a legacy that continues to shape how we observe our planet from orbit.