Enabling the Next Generation of Robotics Systems

Robotics beyond the Machine Boundary

Modern robots are no longer standalone machines executing predefined motions in isolated environments. They are networked cyber-physical systems—connected to factories, cloud services, update infrastructures, and increasingly to each other.

As robotics evolves toward mobile cobots, distributed shop floors, and service-oriented deployments, connectivity becomes both an enabler and a risk. Safety alone is no longer sufficient. Without robust cybersecurity, secure communication, and controlled updates, even the safest robot design can become vulnerable.

Security as a System-Level Property

Security in robotics cannot be reduced to a single feature such as encryption or authentication. Instead, it must be treated as a system-level property, starting at the lowest layers of the software stack.

At the foundation lies the principle of strict separation:

• Software components must be isolated so they cannot interfere with each other
• Safety- and security-critical functions must be protected from non-critical software
• Violations across partitions must be provably impossible

This concept—often described as a security or safety element out of context—ensures that even if one component is compromised, the rest of the system remains protected.

Secure Over-the-Air Updates: More than a Feature

Over-The-Air (OTA) updates are becoming mandatory for robotics systems:

• Bug fixes and feature updates
• Security patches
• Lifecycle maintenance over many years

However, OTA updates introduce significant risks if not designed properly. A secure update mechanism requires:

• Cryptographic signing and verification of software images
• Secure storage and decryption during loading
• Protection against rollback and tampering
• Careful architectural placement within isolated partitions

There is no “one-size-fits-all” solution. Secure OTA updates must be architected into the system, not simply added later. This makes early design decisions—partitioning, trust boundaries, and update strategies—critical to long-term system resilience.

Interoperability in Robotic Ecosystems

Robotic systems rarely operate in isolation. They are part of larger ecosystems that rely on standardized frameworks and communication protocols, such as:

• Robotics middleware frameworks
• Industrial communication standards
• Publish–subscribe and service-based data exchange

Supporting interoperability while maintaining safety and security requires careful architectural choices. Open-source stacks and standardized frameworks can be integrated—but must be confined within appropriate isolation boundaries.

This enables developers to benefit from modularity and ecosystem support without compromising certification goals or system integrity.

Deterministic Communication: The Hidden Backbone

As robotic systems scale—from single robots to fleets operating on large shop floors—time becomes a critical resource.

Distributed robotic systems require:

• Deterministic communication
• Precise time synchronization
• Predictable data delivery

Without a common notion of time, systems cannot reliably correlate sensor data, coordinate motion, or enforce safety constraints.

Technologies such as time-triggered networking and time-sensitive networking (TSN) provide:

• Deterministic latency guarantees
• Global time synchronization across nodes
• A foundation for safe, coordinated behavior in large-scale robotic environments

Time is not just a performance concern—it is a safety and correctness requirement.

End-to-End Protection and Redundancy

Communication in robotics systems must be protected not only against attackers but also against faults. This requires:

• End-to-end integrity protection (e.g., black-channel principles)
• Redundant communication paths
• Distributed compute architectures with failover capabilities

Redundancy ensures that failures in individual nodes or links do not lead to unsafe system behavior. Combined with strict isolation and deterministic timing, redundancy is a cornerstone of resilient robotic systems.

Preparing for the Cryptographic Future

Long-lived robotic systems must be designed with future threats in mind. Cryptographic algorithms considered secure today may become vulnerable tomorrow—especially with advances in quantum computing.

Forward-looking designs already consider:

• Cryptographic agility
• Post-quantum cryptography readiness
• Secure key management over extended lifecycles

Future-proofing security is not about predicting exact threats, but about designing systems that can adapt without architectural redesign.

From Products to Services: Robotics at Scale

Robotics is increasingly shifting toward service-based models:

• Robots as a service on factory floors
• Mobile fleets deployed on demand
• Consumer and household robotics with continuous updates

This shift mirrors earlier transitions in other industries and emphasizes the importance of:

• Economy of scale
• Centralized lifecycle management
• Secure, remote operation

As deployment models evolve, system architectures must support scalability without sacrificing safety or security.

Innovation Requires Collaboration

Advancing safe and secure robotics is not purely a technical challenge. It also depends on effective collaboration between:

• Industry and system integrators
• Academia and research institutions
• Regulators and standardization bodies

Strong collaboration can accelerate innovation—but only if funding models, qualification processes, and regulatory frameworks are aligned with the realities of modern technology development.

Adaptive Safety and the Road ahead

Future robotics systems will operate in dynamic environments:

• Reconfigurable shop floors
• Mobile and autonomous platforms
• Human-centric workspaces

This will require more adaptive approaches to safety and security—while still meeting rigorous certification requirements. Tooling, automation, and AI-assisted development may help streamline these processes, but engineering discipline remains essential.

Designing Trust into the Foundation

Robots are becoming more capable, more connected, and more autonomous. With this evolution comes responsibility.

Trustworthy robotics systems are not built by adding safety or security at the end. They are built by:

• Strong architectural separation
• Deterministic and secure communication
• Certified foundations
• Thoughtful system-level design

As robotics continues to transform industry and society, keeping safety and security at the core will define which systems succeed—and which ones should never be deployed.