NuVu High School coaches are experts in their fields, excelling in design, architecture, AI, art, digital media, and fabrication. When we host a visiting coach, they’re often rockstars in their industry—and Akshay Jaitly is no exception.

A recent graduate of WPI with a BS and MS in Robotics Engineering, Jaitly has already worked with Mitsubishi Electric Research Labs, Boston Dynamics, and the Autonomous Loco-Manipulation and Systems Group (ALMaS). This spring, he brings his expertise in optimization for intelligent robots to NuVu, co-teaching the Home Assistive Robotics studio and Computational Calculus seminar alongside Technology Coach Ayush Gandhi.

In Home Assistive Robotics, students develop beginner-to-intermediate robotics skills to design autonomous robots that address assistive needs in today’s homes. The studio begins with a series of exercises and readings that provide foundational knowledge in robotics, prompting students to consider how emerging technologies like generative AI will shape the field.

Jaitly hopes to dive deep into the principles governing robotics through this studio. “There’s so much that goes into building a robot—the math behind how robots jump, for instance. Right now, we're discussing how to derive the equations that make cars move,” he explains. “Then, students build their own cars and program them to move in specific circular patterns.”

Students have creative freedom in choosing materials and programming methods, with a provided motor and Arduino as the foundation. “Some students are gluing their cars together, others are 3D-printing components and attaching them to motors. Some are even designing and printing their own wheels. It’s exciting to see the different levels of innovation and challenges they take on,” Jaitly says.

Toward the end of the studio, students will take the lead on their own projects, designing home assistive technology of their choice. Where can robots be used to help the elderly, disabled individuals, or young children? How can they improve daily life? “I want them to create projects that are not only useful but that they are proud of—projects they have researched, understand, and feel the impact of,” Jaitly shares.

For Computational Calculus, Jaitly will assist Coach Gandhi with Part II of this studio. “We’re building toward the concept of optimization—how do you mathematically determine the best decision, and how do you solve that problem using calculus?” he explains.

The first half of the session focuses on linear algebra, introducing the concept through visual transformations—points on a paper grid that stretch and shift. “We use that to introduce vectors and matrices—concepts that are, at their core, pretty simple,” he says.

At its essence, Computational Calculus is about making the best possible decisions—optimization. Students will apply math formulas they learn to build problem-solving projects. “Optimization is embedded in everything they do,” Jaitly says. “Some students are really into music, others into robotics. The key idea is modeling the best possible decision mathematically, which applies across all these fields. Our goal is to give them the tools to solve whatever problem they choose, while developing their own solver using the concepts we cover in the seminar.”

Reflecting on his introduction to teaching at NuVu, Jaitly is struck not only by the uniqueness of the program but also by the students. “They’re not just interested in learning—they’re interested in understanding,” he says. “Every time I pose a question to the class, students are eager to respond. They ask questions because they truly want to know more.”

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