Cyber Security of Social Robots and the Internet of Things
From REU@MU
Researcher: Matthew Kinzler Mentor: Dr. Debbie Perouli
Goals
- Learn about common practices developers use to build an Internet of Things (IoT) system where some action is taken based on sensor data.
- Learn how to setup and program at least one personal assistant or social robot (such as Google Home or the JD Humanoid from EZ Robots)
- Design and develop an IoT system that includes at least one sensor producing data that is sent to a personal assistant. The data will either be communicated directly or through a cloud connection.
- Brainstorm and research the literature on security threats and vulnerabilities pertaining to such IoT systems. Focus on those that are specific to systems including personal assistants.
- Outline possible ways to protect from at least one such threat/vulnerability.
- Interact with Google Home; record voice commands and responses; comment on usability.
Milestones
| Week 1 - Orientation and Research General Topics | Go through orientation and get set up in lab | Research general topics such as networking layers and different IoT architectures; learn about the sensors and microcontrollers that will be used in this project | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 2 - Start Learning Latex and Further Research into Different IoT Architectures | Decide on the IoT software architecture we want to use for our project, at least to start with, while keeping the cybersecurity ramifications in mind | Start learning Latex and adding research papers to bibliography | Set up Google Home |
| Week 3 - Write the code for one microcontroller and sensor setup | Learn how to create a network connection between this microcontroller and another device (e.g. laptop) that belongs to the same Wifi network | Connect to a third party, free cloud | |
| Week 4 - Write the code for the other microcontroller and sensor setup | Create appropriate network connections to the cloud and/or to devices in the same Wifi network | Work on presentation | |
| Week 5 - Connect Google Home to the system | |||
| Week 6 - If everything is complete by this point, add the robot to the system. | |||
| Week 7 - Brainstorm and research the security vulnerabilities of the system; try to compromise the system. | |||
| Week 8 - Continue work on compromising and protecting the system; start writing research paper | |||
| Week 9 - Continue work from previous two weeks; create poster. | |||
| Week 10 - Finish research paper and poster |
