This project proposes a novel cyber-physical paradigm for enhancing the security in networks of advanced robots from external malicious cyber attacks (and internal non-malicious malfunctions as well). Such systems have tremendous potential for improved productivity, but also carry new risks: malicious actors could exploit the connectivity of the devices to carry out attacks with consequences in the physical world.
The core idea of this project is to provide a novel layer of security against such threats by designing distributed security specifications based on introspection: agents use physical-sensing capabilities to surveil the behaviors of other agents in the team in addition to the task-specific mission objective. Such specifications will offer an additional layer of protection in emerging applications with networked robots.