It is important to know when natural processes, or man-made designs, are stable, namely, their performance is not affected by small disturbances. Mathematics provides the tools to check stability and to offer procedures for stabilization.
Weizmann scientists contributed to this important field by offering a technique, named Quantitative Feedback Theory (QFT), widely used today by engineers to stabilize highly nonlinear and complex man-made designs.
Weizmann mathematicians also contributed to the subject by theoretically characterizing those systems that can in principle be stabilized by a continuous feedback. This contribution has led engineers to design concrete efficient continuous stabilization procedures in a variety of application. An example was also given showing the continuous feedback may not suffice for stabilization, and it is widely used as a benchmark for stabilization procedures when continuous feedback is not possible.