SaTC: CORE: Small: Wireless Hardware Analog Encryption for Secure, Ultra Low Power Transmission of Data

Data encryption is a process to transmit sensitive information over a public channel such as a wireless channel, so that only authorized receivers can access it. Unfortunately, digital encryption techniques typically require the use of microprocessors which are power-hungry devices. This project advances the use of alternative analog encryption techniques, such as chaotic encryption. Since analog encryption techniques are more power efficient, this approach makes it possible to avoid the use of microprocessors and consequently facilitate the realization of more portable devices.

While the idea of encrypting information via chaotic signals is at least three decades old, only relatively recent technological advancements in circuit fabrication allow the practical implementation of chaotic encryption over a wireless channel. Indeed, one of the main intellectual merits of this project would be the realization of a wireless sensor with integrated encryption on the same chip. Another technological innovation brought by the project is the creation of mechanisms for coordinated communications among multiple devices over the same chaotically encrypted channel using cognitive radio.

The impact at large of these methods can be significant. For example, embedding analog encryption techniques in biomedical devices increases the privacy and comfort of patients since data are going to be transmitted wirelessly over a secure channel. Furthermore, autonomous energy-harvesting coin-sized sensors could be easily deployed to monitor large areas requiring minimal maintenance.

The results, data and simulation software obtained in this project will be stored on the website https://www.eecs.utk.edu/people/faculty/dmateras/ for at least five years. Software will be released under an open-source license to facilitate the replicability of the results.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.