Moshe Niv

Rafael Advanced Defense Systems (Israel)

Papers

Total Citations

H-Index

About

Moshe Niv is a pioneering figure in robotics and optimal control, best known for his foundational work on the optimal control of robotic manipulators in constrained environments. His most-cited paper, "Optimal Control of a Robot with Obstacles" (1984, 26 citations), introduced a groundbreaking application of the Maximum Principle to design time-optimal trajectories for robots navigating obstacles. By leveraging the complete, highly nonlinear dynamic model of a manipulator, Niv demonstrated how numerical optimization techniques could solve complex control problems, enabling robots to move efficiently while avoiding collisions. This work laid critical groundwork for modern motion planning and obstacle avoidance in robotics. Niv’s contributions are particularly notable for bridging theoretical optimal control theory with practical robotic applications, influencing subsequent research in autonomous systems and industrial automation. Though his citation count reflects a focused but impactful body of work, his 1984 paper remains a seminal reference for researchers tackling real-time trajectory optimization and constrained robotic motion.