Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

X. Arrillaga is a key figure in the development of next-generation astronomical instrumentation, specializing in fiber-optic positioning systems for massive spectroscopic surveys. Their most significant contribution is to the MEGARA instrument, a cutting-edge optical Integral Field Unit (IFU) and Multi-Object Spectrograph (MOS) for the 10.4-meter Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC). Arrillaga’s work on the 92 robotic positioners—detailed in their highly cited 2012 paper (23 citations)—enables the precise, simultaneous targeting of hundreds of celestial objects, a critical capability for probing dark energy and the formation of the Milky Way. They further advanced this technology by developing an 8-mm diameter fiber robot positioner (2015, 19 citations), a breakthrough for compact, high-density fiber placement in massive surveys. Arrillaga also engineered high-precision alignment systems for gluing fibers and microlenses (2016, 6 citations), ensuring the instrument’s optical fidelity. Their 2018 study (7 citations) validated the positioners’ pointing accuracy during MEGARA’s 2017 commissioning, cementing the instrument’s status as a world-class facility. With over 55 citations across their core papers, Arrillaga’s innovations in robotic fiber positioning are foundational to modern multi-object spectroscopy.