Beyond Functional Safety: Securing Physical AI Against Cyber-Physical Exploits

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Published: September 18, 2026

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For decades, robotics safety has been defined by functional reliability. Engineers have focused on a core engineering question: How do we prevent harm when a hardware component, sensor, or structural link fails? Standard safety frameworks like ISO 13849 have served us well by ensuring that when an actuator fails or a laser scanner gets blocked, the system enters a predictable, safe state. However, the rise of Physical Artificial Intelligence is fundamentally disrupting this paradigm.

Today's autonomous systems do not just execute static, pre-programmed trajectories. They rely on complex, multimodal neural networks, Vision-Language-Action (VLA) models, and real-time inference engines to interpret and interact with dynamic environments. This integration of deep learning with physical actuation introduces an entirely new class of vulnerabilities. The critical question for modern robotics and embedded engineers has changed: How do we keep a machine safe when its hardware functions flawlessly, but its perception, reasoning, or decision-making has been covertly manipulated?

In Memoriam: Honoring the Pioneers of Modern Wireless Networks, Cellular Infrastructure, and Hardware Design

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Published: September 17, 2026

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The modern landscape of electronics, embedded systems, and wireless communications did not appear overnight. It was constructed piece by piece, protocol by protocol, by brilliant minds working in university labs, research institutions, and early industrial facilities. Recently, the engineering community said goodbye to several giants whose seminal contributions paved the way for the technologies that IoT developers, hardware makers, and embedded engineers use every single day. From the first wireless packet network to the birth of commercial cellular networks and the languages used to design microchips, we look back at the incredible legacies left behind by these pioneers.

Imagine a world where data transmission always required a dedicated, physical cable. That paradigm shifted dramatically thanks to the work of Franklin 'Frank' Kuo, who passed away recently at the age of 91. In the late 1960s, Kuo joined the faculty of the University of Hawaii, where he collaborated with Norman Abramson to develop ALOHAnet. Going online in 1971, ALOHAnet utilized ultrahigh-frequency (UHF) radio waves to link computers across the Hawaiian islands. It was the world's first public demonstration of a wireless packet data network.

Engineering Pioneers: Remembering the Minds Behind ALOHAnet, Cell Networks, and Digital Logic

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Published: September 16, 2026

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The landscape of modern electronics, wireless communication, and embedded systems was not built overnight. It is the result of dedicated engineering pioneers who dared to challenge the constraints of their era. Recently, the engineering community said goodbye to several influential minds whose work laid the bedrock for today's connected world. From the creation of the first wireless packet data network to the fundamentals of digital logic design, these individuals have left an indelible mark on the technology we build, code, and deploy daily.

Among these giants was Franklin 'Frank' Kuo, who passed away at the age of 91. A brilliant researcher and academic, Kuo is best known as the co-developer of ALOHAnet, a revolutionary system that directly inspired Robert Metcalfe's development of Ethernet.