Boris Houska

About

Boris Houska is a leading researcher in optimization and control, with key contributions spanning distributed non-convex optimization, robust optimal control, and robotics. He is best known as the principal developer of the ALADIN‐α toolbox, an open-source MATLAB framework for distributed non-convex optimization that has garnered over 20 citations and is widely used for decentralized decision-making in complex systems. His work on rigorous robust optimal control, particularly through generalized high-order moment expansions, has advanced the field by enabling worst-case uncertainty handling in nonlinear dynamics—a contribution cited over 14 times. Houska has also applied his theoretical expertise to practical robotics challenges, including time-optimal model predictive control for robot arms carrying fragile glass plates and real-time collision-free motion planning for ellipsoidal objects, with applications in autonomous driving. His research is distinguished by its blend of rigorous mathematical foundations and real-world implementability, making him a notable figure in both the optimization and control communities.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   ALADIN‐—An open‐source MATLAB toolbox for distributed non‐convex optimization

   18 citations · 2021
2. 2
   Towards rigorous robust optimal control via generalized high‐order moment expansion

   14 citations · 2017
3. 3
   Ellipsoidal tube MPC of robots carrying glass plates

   2 citations · 2018
4. 4
   Real-Time-Feasible Collision-Free Motion Planning For Ellipsoidal Objects

   2 citations · 2024
5. 5
   ALADIN-$\alpha$ -- An open-source MATLAB toolbox for distributed non-convex optimization

   2 citations · 2020

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links