Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

Maria Politi is pioneering the future of autonomous scientific discovery through self-driving laboratories (SDLs) and high-throughput materials acceleration platforms. Her research focuses on integrating robotics, automation, and artificial intelligence to accelerate the synthesis and characterization of advanced materials, particularly nanocrystals and deep-eutectic solvent (DES) electrolytes. Politi’s major contributions include developing IvoryOS, an interoperable web interface that standardizes software across diverse SDLs, enabling seamless orchestration of Python-based autonomous experiments—a critical step toward broader adoption of these transformative platforms. She also designed a complete open-hardware and software Materials Acceleration Platform (MAP) for sonochemical synthesis of CdSe nanocrystals, combining a tool-changing robot (Jubilee) with liquid-handling automation (Opentrons OT2) and well-plate spectrometry. Additionally, her work on high-throughput, data-driven strategies for DES electrolytes demonstrates how automated experimentation can rapidly screen and design novel materials with tailored properties for energy applications. With her most-cited paper already garnering 10 citations within its first year, Politi’s innovations are shaping the next generation of closed-loop, AI-driven materials discovery—making autonomous labs more accessible, reproducible, and impactful for researchers worldwide.