Teaching:

MIT 16.S398 and 16.485: Visual Navigation for Autonomous Vehicles (VNAV)

Class materials will be made available on MIT OpenCourseWare.

I co-created and taught MIT 16.485 (VNAV: Visual Navigation for Autonomous Vehicles) in 2018 and 2019. VNAV is a new advanced subject (for both graduate and senior undergraduate students) on vision-based navigation, perception, and state estimation. It rigorously covers the theoretical foundations of vision-based navigation (e.g., geometric control, 3D vision, visual-inertial navigation, place recognition, SLAM, optimization on matrix Lie groups), while also providing students with hands-on experience using real aerial and ground robots. The course culminates in a critical review of recent advances in the field and a team project aimed at advancing the state-of-the-art.

Subject Evaluation (2018 and 2019):

• Subject rating (median): 7/7
• Rating as lecturer (median): 7/7

“This is how a robotics course should be structured. Math fundamentals in lecture, interesting lab to demand understanding and show utility. Well done, especially considering it was the first time through.”

“Kasra makes lectures fun and interesting, even when the content is quite dense mathematics. Takes the effort to ensure lectures are engaging by welcoming and effectively answering questions and giving fun examples. Very approachable for questions regarding the course and projects.”

More reviews …

“Excellent class, exciting material and overall wonderful instructors.”

“Very good coverage of state-of-the-art in visual navigation. Both the coding and theoretical assignment was challenging … However, I have learned a lot.”

“Kasra was a great lecturer! I also especially appreciated his thorough and insightful responses on Piazza.”

“You clearly master the subject and your enthusiasm for it is contagious … I had a great time learning with you and wish you a brilliant academic career.”

“Very knowledgeable on subject matter, very entertaining lectures.”

“I enjoy Kasra’s lecture. Everything is super clear …”

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UTS 49274 Advanced Robotics and 49329 Control of Mechatronic Systems

I was the tutor (teaching assistant) for postgraduate subjects Advanced Robotics and Control Mechatronic Systems from 2012 to 2014. I led the recitation lectures (covering topics from linear algebra, estimation theory, optimal control, and probabilistic robotics) and lab sessions. I also played an active role in redesigning new problem sets and projects and updating the curriculum.