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About

Dr. Kaichang Di is a leading figure in planetary exploration robotics and visual navigation, whose work bridges the gap between Earth-based computer vision and the extreme demands of space missions. His research focuses on simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM), visual odometry, and photogrammetric processing, with a particular emphasis on enabling autonomous navigation for rovers and astronauts on other worlds. Dr. Di’s most impactful contribution is his pioneering work on RGB-D SLAM for dynamic environments (131 citations), which solved the critical problem of drift errors caused by moving objects—a challenge that plagues traditional SLAM systems. He also made a landmark contribution to lunar science through his self-calibration bundle adjustment method for processing Chang’E-2 stereo imagery (48 citations), which significantly improved the accuracy of lunar topographic mapping. His innovative monocular visual odometry system integrated with a laser distance meter (18 citations) was specifically designed for astronaut navigation, offering a compact, wearable solution for future crewed missions. By systematically comparing feature detectors for planetary rover mapping (5 citations) and advancing visual SLAM theory (3 citations), Dr. Di has established himself as a key architect of the navigation technologies that will guide humanity’s next steps on the Moon and Mars.