Avishai Weiss

Phone: 617-621-7559
Email:

Position:
Research / Technical Staff

Senior Principal Research Scientist
Education:
Ph.D., University of Michigan, 2013
Research Areas:
- Control
- Dynamical Systems
- Optimization
- Robotics
- Communications
- Computer Vision
- Signal Processing
- Electronic and Photonic Devices
- Machine Learning
- Information Security
- Applied Physics
External Links:
- Google Scholar

Biography

Avishai's doctoral research was on spacecraft orbital and attitude control. Prior to the University of Michigan, he studied at Stanford University, where he received a B.S. in Electrical Engineering and an M.S. in Aeronautics and Astronautics. Avishai's interests are in constrained control, model predictive control, and time-varying systems.
Recent News & Events
- NEWS MERL researchers present 9 papers at ACC 2024
  Date: July 10, 2024 - July 12, 2024
  Where: Toronto, Canada
  MERL Contacts: Ankush Chakrabarty; Vedang M. Deshpande; Stefano Di Cairano; Christopher R. Laughman; Arvind Raghunathan; Abraham P. Vinod; Yebin Wang; Avishai Weiss
  Research Areas: Artificial Intelligence, Control, Dynamical Systems, Machine Learning, Multi-Physical Modeling, Optimization, Robotics
  Brief
  - MERL researchers presented 9 papers at the recently concluded American Control Conference (ACC) 2024 in Toronto, Canada. The papers covered a wide range of topics including data-driven spatial monitoring using heterogenous robots, aircraft approach management near airports, computation fluid dynamics-based motion planning for drones facing winds, trajectory planning for coordinated monitoring using a team of drones and a ground carrier vehicle, ensemble Kalman smoothing-based model predictive control for motion planning for autonomous vehicles, system identification for Lithium-ion batteries, physics-constrained deep Kalman filters for vapor compression systems, switched reference governors for constrained systems, and distributed road-map monitoring using onboard sensors.
    
    As a sponsor of the conference, MERL maintained a booth for open discussions with researchers and students, and hosted a special session to discuss highlights of MERL research and work philosophy.
    
    In addition, Abraham Vinod served as a panelist at the Student Networking Event at the conference. The student networking event provides an opportunity for all interested students to network with professionals working in industry, academia, and national laboratories during a structured event, and encourages their continued participation as the future leaders in the field.
- NEWS MERL researchers present 10 papers at the American Control Conference (ACC)
  Date: May 31, 2023 - June 2, 2023
  Where: San Diego, CA
  MERL Contacts: Ankush Chakrabarty; Vedang M. Deshpande; Stefano Di Cairano; Devesh K. Jha; Christopher R. Laughman; Arvind Raghunathan; Diego Romeres; Abraham P. Vinod; Yebin Wang; Avishai Weiss
  Research Areas: Control, Machine Learning, Optimization
  Brief
  - MERL will present 10 papers at the American Control Conference (ACC) in San Diego, CA, with topics including autonomous-vehicle decision making and control, physics-informed machine learning, motion planning, control subject to nonconvex chance constraints, and optimal power management. Two talks are part of tutorial sessions.
    MERL will also be present at the conference as a sponsor, with a booth for discussing with researchers and students, and hosting a special session at lunch with highlights of MERL research and work philosophy.
See All News & Events for Avishai
MERL Publications
- Shimane, Y., Ho, K., Weiss, A., "Autonomous Horizon-Based Optical Navigation on Near-Planar Cislunar Libration Point Orbits", 4th Space Imaging Workshop, October 2024.
  BibTeX TR2024-139 PDF
  - @inproceedings{Shimane2024oct,
  - author = {Shimane, Yuri and Ho, Koki and Weiss, Avishai}},
  - title = {Autonomous Horizon-Based Optical Navigation on Near-Planar Cislunar Libration Point Orbits},
  - booktitle = {4th Space Imaging Workshop},
  - year = 2024,
  - month = oct,
  - url = {https://www.merl.com/publications/TR2024-139}
  - }
- Shimane, Yuri, Ho, Koki, Weiss, Avishai, "Optimization-based Phase-Constrained Station-Keeping Control on Libration Point Orbit", Tech. Rep. TR2024-109, Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Cambridge, MA, August 2024.
  BibTeX TR2024-109 PDF
  - @techreport{MERL_ TR2024-109,
  - author = {Shimane, Yuri; Ho, Koki; Weiss, Avishai},
  - title = {Optimization-based Phase-Constrained Station-Keeping Control on Libration Point Orbit},
  - institution = {MERL - Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories},
  - address = {Cambridge, MA 02139},
  - number = { TR2024-109},
  - month = aug,
  - year = 2024,
  - url = {https://www.merl.com/publications/ TR2024-109/}
  - }
- Shimane, Y., Ho, K., Weiss, A., "Optimization-based Phase-Constrained Station-Keeping Control on Libration Point Orbit", AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, August 2024.
  BibTeX TR2024-109 PDF
  - @inproceedings{Shimane2024aug,
  - author = {Shimane, Yuri and Ho, Koki and Weiss, Avishai}},
  - title = {Optimization-based Phase-Constrained Station-Keeping Control on Libration Point Orbit},
  - booktitle = {AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialist Conference},
  - year = 2024,
  - month = aug,
  - url = {https://www.merl.com/publications/TR2024-109}
  - }
- Di Cairano, S., Skibik, T., Vinod, A.P., Weiss, A., Berntorp, K., Okura, Y., "Parametrized Maneuvers Governor for Decision Making in Automated Driving" in Nonlinear and Constrained Control - Applications, Synergies, Challenges and Opportunities., June 2024.
  BibTeX TR2024-086 PDF
  - @incollection{DiCairano2024jun,
  - author = {Di Cairano, Stefano and Skibik, Terrence and Vinod, Abraham P. and Weiss, Avishai and Berntorp, Karl and Okura, Yuichi}},
  - title = {Parametrized Maneuvers Governor for Decision Making in Automated Driving},
  - booktitle = {Nonlinear and Constrained Control - Applications, Synergies, Challenges and Opportunities.},
  - year = 2024,
  - month = jun,
  - url = {https://www.merl.com/publications/TR2024-086}
  - }
- Greiff, M., Weiss, A., Berntorp, K., Di Cairano, S., "A Robust Invariant Set Planner For Quadrotors", European Control Conference (ECC), DOI: 10.23919/ECC64448.2024.10590943, June 2024.
  BibTeX TR2024-081 PDF
  - @inproceedings{Greiff2024jun,
  - author = {Greiff, Marcus and Weiss, Avishai and Berntorp, Karl and Di Cairano, Stefano}},
  - title = {A Robust Invariant Set Planner For Quadrotors},
  - booktitle = {European Control Conference (ECC)},
  - year = 2024,
  - month = jun,
  - publisher = {IEEE},
  - doi = {10.23919/ECC64448.2024.10590943},
  - url = {https://www.merl.com/publications/TR2024-081}
  - }
See All MERL Publications for Avishai
Other Publications
- A. Weiss, M. Baldwin, C. Petersen, R. S. Erwin and I. Kolmanovsky, "Spacecraft Constrained Maneuver Planning for Moving Debris Avoidance Using Positively Invariant Constraint Admissible Sets", Proceedings of the American Control Conference, June 2013.
  BibTeX
  - @Inproceedings{weissDebris2013,
  - author = {Weiss, A. and Baldwin, M. and Petersen, C. and Erwin, R. S. and Kolmanovsky, I.},
  - title = {Spacecraft Constrained Maneuver Planning for Moving Debris Avoidance Using Positively Invariant Constraint Admissible Sets},
  - booktitle = {Proceedings of the American Control Conference},
  - year = 2013,
  - address = {Washington, DC},
  - month = jun
  - }
- Avishai Weiss, Ilya Kolmanovsky, Dennis S. Bernstein and Amit Sanyal, "Inertia-Free Spacecraft Attitude Control Using Reaction Wheels", Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics, Vol. 36, No. 5, pp. 1425-1439, 2013.
  BibTeX
  - @Article{Weiss2013,
  - author = {Weiss, Avishai and Kolmanovsky, Ilya and Bernstein, Dennis S. and Sanyal, Amit},
  - title = {Inertia-Free Spacecraft Attitude Control Using Reaction Wheels},
  - journal = {Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics},
  - year = 2013,
  - volume = 36,
  - number = 5,
  - pages = {1425--1439},
  - publisher = {American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics}
  - }
- Avishai Weiss, Ilya Kolmanovsky, Morgan Baldwin, R. Scott Erwin and Dennis S. Bernstein, "Forward-Integration Riccati-Based Feedback Control for Spacecraft Rendezvous Maneuvers on Elliptic Orbits", Proc. Conf. Dec. Contr, December 2012, pp. 1752 - 1757.
  BibTeX
  - @Inproceedings{forriccdc,
  - author = {Weiss, Avishai and Kolmanovsky, Ilya and Baldwin, Morgan and Erwin, R. Scott and Bernstein, Dennis S.},
  - title = {Forward-Integration Riccati-Based Feedback Control for Spacecraft Rendezvous Maneuvers on Elliptic Orbits},
  - booktitle = {Proc. Conf. Dec. Contr},
  - year = 2012,
  - pages = {1752 -- 1757},
  - address = {Maui, HI},
  - month = dec
  - }
- A. Weiss, G. Cruz, K. Agarwal, Y. Rahman, M. Medikeri, A. Xie, M. Camblor, I. Kolmanovsky and D. S. Bernstein, "Inertia-Free Attitude Control Laws Based on Rotation Matrices for Spacecraft with Torquers, Thrusters, and Wheels", Proc. Itzhack Y. Bar-Itzhack Memorial Symposium on Estimation, Navigation, and Spacecraft Control, October 2012, pp. 322-391.
  BibTeX
  - @Inproceedings{Weiss2012,
  - author = {Weiss, A. and Cruz, G. and Agarwal, K. and Rahman, Y. and Medikeri, M. and Xie, A. and Camblor, M. and Kolmanovsky, I. and Bernstein, D. S.},
  - title = {Inertia-Free Attitude Control Laws Based on Rotation Matrices for Spacecraft with Torquers, Thrusters, and Wheels},
  - booktitle = {Proc. Itzhack Y. Bar-Itzhack Memorial Symposium on Estimation, Navigation, and Spacecraft Control},
  - year = 2012,
  - pages = {322--391},
  - address = {Haifa, Israel},
  - month = oct
  - }
- A. Weiss, M. Baldwin, R. S. Erwin and I. Kolmanovsky, "Spacecraft Constrained Maneuver Planning using Positively Invariant Constraint Admissible Sets", Proc. Itzhack Y. Bar-Itzhack Memorial Symposium on Estimation, Navigation, and Spacecraft Control, October 2012.
  BibTeX
  - @Inproceedings{ref:debrisBarSym,
  - author = {Weiss, A. and Baldwin, M. and Erwin, R. S. and Kolmanovsky, I.},
  - title = {Spacecraft Constrained Maneuver Planning using Positively Invariant Constraint Admissible Sets},
  - booktitle = {Proc. Itzhack Y. Bar-Itzhack Memorial Symposium on Estimation, Navigation, and Spacecraft Control},
  - year = 2012,
  - address = {Haifa, Israel},
  - month = oct
  - }
- Avishai Weiss, Frederick Leve, Ilya Kolmanovsky and Moriba Jah, "Reaction Wheel Parameter Identification and Control through Receding Horizon-Based Null Motion Excitation", Proc. Itzhack Y. Bar-Itzhack Memorial Symposium on Estimation, Navigation, and Spacecraft Control, October 2012.
  BibTeX
  - @Inproceedings{weissreaction,
  - author = {Weiss, Avishai and Leve, Frederick and Kolmanovsky, Ilya and Jah, Moriba},
  - title = {Reaction Wheel Parameter Identification and Control through Receding Horizon-Based Null Motion Excitation},
  - booktitle = {Proc. Itzhack Y. Bar-Itzhack Memorial Symposium on Estimation, Navigation, and Spacecraft Control},
  - year = 2012,
  - address = {Haifa, Israel},
  - month = oct
  - }
- K. Agarwal, A. Weiss, I. Kolmanovsky and D. S. Bernstein, "Inertia-Free Spacecraft Attitude Control with Control-Moment-Gyro Actuation", Proc. AIAA Guid. Nav. Contr. Conf., August 2012, pp. AIAA-2012-5003-282.
  BibTeX
  - @Inproceedings{CMGGNC2012,
  - author = {Agarwal, K. and Weiss, A. and Kolmanovsky, I. and Bernstein, D. S.},
  - title = {Inertia-Free Spacecraft Attitude Control with Control-Moment-Gyro Actuation},
  - booktitle = {Proc. AIAA Guid. Nav. Contr. Conf.},
  - year = 2012,
  - pages = {AIAA--2012--5003--282},
  - address = {Minneapolis, MN},
  - month = aug,
  - note = {AIAA-2012-5003-282}
  - }
- A. Weiss, I. Kolmanovsky, M. Baldwin and R. S. Erwin, "Model Predictive Control of Three Dimensional Spacecraft Relative Motion", Proceedings of the American Control Conference, June 2012, pp. 173-178.
  BibTeX
  - @Inproceedings{weisserwin,
  - author = {Weiss, A. and Kolmanovsky, I. and Baldwin, M. and Erwin, R. S.},
  - title = {Model Predictive Control of Three Dimensional Spacecraft Relative Motion},
  - booktitle = {Proceedings of the American Control Conference},
  - year = 2012,
  - pages = {173--178},
  - address = {Montreal, Canada},
  - month = jun
  - }
- A. Weiss, I. Kolmanovsky and D. S. Bernstein, "Forward-Integration Riccati-Based Output-Feedback Control of Linear Time-Varying Systems", Proc. Amer. Conf. Contr, June 2012, pp. 6708-6714.
  BibTeX
  - @Inproceedings{weisskolmbern,
  - author = {Weiss, A. and Kolmanovsky, I. and Bernstein, D. S.},
  - title = {Forward-Integration Riccati-Based Output-Feedback Control of Linear Time-Varying Systems},
  - booktitle = {Proc. Amer. Conf. Contr},
  - year = 2012,
  - pages = {6708--6714},
  - address = {Montreal, Canada},
  - month = jun
  - }
- Avishai Weiss, Ilya Kolmanovsky and Dennis S. Bernstein, "Forward-Integration Riccati-Based Feedback Control of Magnetically Actuated Spacecraft", AIAA Guidance, Navigation, and Control Conference, 2012, pp. AIAA-2012-5042-137.
  BibTeX
  - @Inproceedings{firmag,
  - author = {Weiss, Avishai and Kolmanovsky, Ilya and Bernstein, Dennis S.},
  - title = {Forward-Integration Riccati-Based Feedback Control of Magnetically Actuated Spacecraft},
  - booktitle = {AIAA Guidance, Navigation, and Control Conference},
  - year = 2012,
  - pages = {AIAA--2012--5042--137}
  - }
- M. Baldwin, A. Weiss, I. Kolmanovsky and R. S. Erwin, "Spacecraft Debris Avoidance using Positively Invariant Constraint Admissible Sets", Proceedings of AAS Space Flight Mechanics Meeting, 2012, pp. Paper AAS 12-250.
  BibTeX
  - @Inproceedings{ref:baldwin,
  - author = {Baldwin, M. and Weiss, A. and Kolmanovsky, I. and Erwin, R. S.},
  - title = {Spacecraft Debris Avoidance using Positively Invariant Constraint Admissible Sets},
  - booktitle = {Proceedings of AAS Space Flight Mechanics Meeting},
  - year = 2012,
  - pages = {Paper AAS 12--250},
  - address = {Charleston, South Carolina}
  - }
- A. Weiss, I. Kolmanovsky and D. S. Bernstein, "Inertia-Free Attitude Control of Spacecraft with Unknown Time-Varying Mass Distribution", Proc. 62nd IAC, October 2011, pp. IAC-11-C1.5.9.
  BibTeX
  - @Inproceedings{AviTVinertiaIAC2011,
  - author = {Weiss, A. and Kolmanovsky, I. and Bernstein, D. S.},
  - title = {Inertia-Free Attitude Control of Spacecraft with Unknown Time-Varying Mass Distribution},
  - booktitle = {Proc. 62nd IAC},
  - year = 2011,
  - pages = {IAC--11--C1.5.9},
  - address = {Cape Town, South Africa},
  - month = oct,
  - note = {IAC-11-C1.5.9}
  - }
- Gerardo Cruz, Xuebo Yang, Avishai Weiss, Ilya Kolmanovsky and Dennis S. Bernstein, "Torque-saturated, inertia-free spacecraft attitude control", AIAA Guidance, Navigation, and Control Conference, 2011, pp. AIAA-2011-6507-816.
  BibTeX
  - @Inproceedings{cruz2011torque,
  - author = {Cruz, Gerardo and Yang, Xuebo and Weiss, Avishai and Kolmanovsky, Ilya and Bernstein, Dennis S.},
  - title = {Torque-saturated, inertia-free spacecraft attitude control},
  - booktitle = {AIAA Guidance, Navigation, and Control Conference},
  - year = 2011,
  - pages = {AIAA--2011--6507--816}
  - }
- Avishai Weiss, Ilya Kolmanovsky and Walter Merrill, "Incorporating Risk into Control Design for Emergency Operation of Turbo-Fan Engines", Proc. AIAA Infotech@Aerospace, 2011, pp. AIAA-2011-1591.
  BibTeX
  - @Inproceedings{weiss2011incorporating,
  - author = {Weiss, Avishai and Kolmanovsky, Ilya and Merrill, Walter},
  - title = {Incorporating Risk into Control Design for Emergency Operation of Turbo-Fan Engines},
  - booktitle = {Proc. AIAA Infotech@Aerospace},
  - year = 2011,
  - pages = {AIAA--2011--1591}
  - }
- A. Weiss, X. Yang, I. Kolmanovsky and D. S. Bernstein, "Inertia-Free Spacecraft Attitude Control with Reaction-Wheel Actuation", AIAA Guidance, Navigation, and Control Conference, 2010, pp. AIAA-2010-8297.
  BibTeX
  - @Inproceedings{weiss,
  - author = {Weiss, A. and Yang, X. and Kolmanovsky, I. and Bernstein, D. S.},
  - title = {Inertia-Free Spacecraft Attitude Control with Reaction-Wheel Actuation},
  - booktitle = {AIAA Guidance, Navigation, and Control Conference},
  - year = 2010,
  - pages = {AIAA--2010--8297}
  - }
Videos

Description of the abort-safe spacecraft rendezvous example

Positive Invariant Sets for Safe Integrated Vehicle Motion Planning and Control

On-orbit 3D Printing Technology for Fabrication of Satellite Antennas

Electric Satellite Station Keeping, Attitude Control, and Momentum Management by MPC

MERL Celebrates 25 Years of Innovation

MPC for Satellites
MERL Issued Patents
- Title: "Fail-Safe Vehicle Rendezvous in Case of Total Control Failure"
  Inventors: Weiss, Avishai; Marsillach, Daniel Aguilar; Di Cairano, Stefano; Kalabic, Uros
  Patent No.: 11,987,396
  Issue Date: May 21, 2024
- Title: "System for Distributed Verification of Satellite Position"
  Inventors: Kalabic, Uros; Chiu, Tsz-Chun Michael; Weiss, Avishai
  Patent No.: 11,885,888
  Issue Date: Jan 30, 2024
- Title: "Drift-Based Rendezvous Control"
  Inventors: Weiss, Avishai; Marsillach, Daniel Aguilar; Di Cairano, Stefano
  Patent No.: 11,834,203
  Issue Date: Dec 5, 2023
- Title: "Abort-Safe Vehicle Rendezvous in Case of Partial Control Failure"
  Inventors: Weiss, Avishai; Di Cairano, Stefano; Marsillach, Daniel Aguilar; Kalabic, Uros
  Patent No.: 11,807,404
  Issue Date: Nov 7, 2023
- Title: "System and Method of Tracking a Spacecraft Trajectory for Orbital Transfer"
  Inventors: Grover, Piyush; Kalabic, Uros; Weiss, Avishai
  Patent No.: 11,787,569
  Issue Date: Oct 17, 2023
- Title: "Tracking Neighboring Quasi-Satellite Orbits Around Mars's Moon Phobos"
  Inventors: Kalabic, Uros; Muralidharan, Vivek; Weiss, Avishai
  Patent No.: 11,691,765
  Issue Date: Jul 4, 2023
- Title: "Nonlinear Model Predictive Control of Coupled Celestial System"
  Inventors: Weiss, Avishai; Di Cairano, Stefano; Malladi, BharaniPrabha
  Patent No.: 11,292,618
  Issue Date: Apr 5, 2022
- Title: "On-Orbit Additive Manufacturing of Parabolic Reflectors via Solar Photopolymerization"
  Inventors: Weiss, Avishai; Yerazunis, William S.; Cottrell, Richard
  Patent No.: 11,155,723
  Issue Date: Oct 26, 2021
- Title: "System and Method for Controlling Motion of Vehicle with Variable Speed"
  Inventors: Berntorp, Karl; Danielson, Claus; Weiss, Avishai; Di Cairano, Stefano
  Patent No.: 11,091,158
  Issue Date: Aug 17, 2021
- Title: "System and Method for Controlling Lateral Motion of Vehicle"
  Inventors: Berntorp, Karl; Weiss, Avishai; Danielson, Claus; Di Cairano, Stefano
  Patent No.: 10,994,729
  Issue Date: May 4, 2021
- Title: "System and Method for GNSS Ambiguity Resolution"
  Inventors: Berntorp, Karl; Weiss, Avishai; Di Cairano, Stefano
  Patent No.: 10,976,444
  Issue Date: Apr 13, 2021
- Title: "MODEL PREDICTIVE CONTROL OF SPACECRAFT"
  Inventors: Weiss, Avishai; Zlotnik, David; Di Cairano, Stefano
  Patent No.: 10,967,991
  Issue Date: Apr 6, 2021
- Title: "Model Predictive Control of Spacecraft"
  Inventors: Weiss, Avishai; Di Cairano, Stefano; Caverly, Ryan
  Patent No.: 10,934,025
  Issue Date: Mar 2, 2021
- Title: "Systems and Methods for On-Orbit Fabrication of Structures by 3D Printing"
  Inventors: Yerazunis, William S.; Weiss, Avishai; Wang, Bingnan
  Patent No.: 10,906,290
  Issue Date: Feb 2, 2021
- Title: "Loose Optical Fiber Tethering Of Multiple Satellites"
  Inventors: Parsons, Kieran; Weiss, Avishai; Orlik, Philip V.; Di Cairano, Stefano
  Patent No.: 10,892,826
  Issue Date: Jan 12, 2021
- Title: "MODEL PREDICTIVE CONTROL OF SPACECRAFT"
  Inventors: Weiss, Avishai; Zlotnik, David; Di Cairano, Stefano
  Patent No.: 10,875,669
  Issue Date: Dec 29, 2020
- Title: "Concurrent Station Keeping, Attitude Control, and Momentum Management of Spacecraft"
  Inventors: Weiss, Avishai; Di Cairano, Stefano; Walsh, Alex
  Patent No.: 10,180,686
  Issue Date: Jan 15, 2019
- Title: "Methods and Systems for Path Planning Using a Network of Safe-Sets"
  Inventors: Danielson, Claus; Weiss, Avishai; Berntorp, Karl; Di Cairano, Stefano
  Patent No.: 10,012,988
  Issue Date: Jul 3, 2018
- Title: "System and Method for Controlling Vehicle using Neural Network"
  Inventors: Berntorp, Karl; Liu, Ming-Yu; Weiss, Avishai
  Patent No.: 9,989,964
  Issue Date: Jun 5, 2018
- Title: "Model Predictive Control with Uncertainties"
  Inventors: Di Cairano, Stefano; Weiss, Avishai
  Patent No.: 9,983,554
  Issue Date: May 29, 2018
- Title: "Model Predictive Control of Spacecraft"
  Inventors: Weiss, Avishai; Di Cairano, Stefano; Kalabic, Uros
  Patent No.: 9,874,879
  Issue Date: Jan 23, 2018
- Title: "Model Predictive Control of Spacecraft"
  Inventors: Weiss, Avishai; Di Cairano, Stefano; Kalabic, Uros
  Patent No.: 9,764,858
  Issue Date: Sep 19, 2017
See All Patents for MERL