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Safer Computing: WPI Researcher Receives $594,081 to Develop Tools to Protect Hardware From Hackers

leckelbecker — Thu, 30 May 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) researcher Shahin Tajik has been awarded a prestigious CAREER Award of $594,081 by the National Science Foundation to develop new technologies to monitor and protect computer chips and other hardware from malicious attacks.

The grant will enable Tajik, assistant professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, to expand his research into hardware security, a field that focuses on physical threats to computing systems that attackers can hijack by tampering with chips, motherboards, and other electronic components traveling through global supply chains.

鈥淲hen we talk about computer security, many people will think about hacking attacks that target software vulnerabilities,鈥?Tajik said. 鈥淗owever, computers are made of physical components, and they are vulnerable, too. By tampering with chips and motherboards, attackers can essentially spy on processed data on chips or disrupt the functionality of computer chips. This vulnerability is a critical challenge for businesses, infrastructure operators, and national security.鈥?lt;/span>

Computer hardware is vulnerable to tampering because multiple individuals and companies in far-flung locations, including overseas factories, can be involved in the design, production, and assembly of computer components. Ensuring the integrity of components as they travel through supply chains is critical, but tampering can be hard to spot.

Tajik鈥檚 five-year project will investigate technologies that could potentially thwart hardware attacks by creating better metrics to verify that a computer鈥檚 physical parts are manufactured to design standards, correctly installed, and operating without interference. He also will use information theory to advance understanding about 鈥渟ide-channel attacks,鈥?which involve extracting secrets from a chip or system using physical characteristics of the computing hardware. Finally, Tajik will create physically unclonable functions, also known as PUFs, to monitor the activity of chips in computers.

The project builds on Tajik鈥檚 previous research into the use of lasers for side-channel attacks on electronic systems and laser-assisted countermeasures. He is part of a team that received nearly $361,000 in NSF funding to acquire a powerful microscope for hardware security research at WPI, and he leads a team that was awarded nearly $1 million in funding from the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative to acquire a second microscope and launch a WPI center focused on semiconductor security research. The center offers testing services to business and academic researchers to support the semiconductor security industry in Massachusetts.

As part of his project, Tajik will develop a new graduate-level course at WPI on the physical security of microelectronic systems, and he will recruit undergraduates to teams that will conduct research related to the project.

鈥淩esearch into hardware security is fascinating work, like solving a puzzle and then confronting an even harder puzzle that a hacker has created,鈥?Tajik said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 also important work. The physical layer of computers has been overlooked in security research for a long time, so we have a great opportunity to explore and seek solutions that can address a real need.鈥?lt;/span>

Student Race Car Builders Find Formula for Success

sfoskett — Mon, 13 May 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Almost hidden away in the back of WPI鈥檚 Sagamore facility, the Formula SAE Club鈥檚 headquarters has the look and feel of a true motor sports operation. That鈥檚 because it is.

Every year, the club鈥檚 offshoot Major Qualifying Project (MQP) group takes on the monumental task of building a race car to compete in the annual Formula Hybrid + Electric intercollegiate competition at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, N.H. Along the way, club members gain valuable hands-on skills doing everything from fabrication and welding to circuit board design and embedded computer programming.

This year鈥檚 team finished just outside the top 10 against the 22 other colleges and universities competing in the electric vehicle category, and brought home the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Excellence in EV Engineering Award, given annually to the team that emphasizes preparation, team dynamics, attention to details, and establishing or continuing a legacy.

鈥淚 think that this year鈥檚 car was one of the best-designed FSAE cars we鈥檝e built to date,鈥?said faculty advisor Bill Michalson, professor of robotics engineering. 鈥淭he craftsmanship, design, and analysis that went into this year鈥檚 car was truly outstanding.鈥?With support from various subgroups in the club, the MQP team took a bare tube-frame chassis and developed nearly every system on the electric-powered race machine from the ground up. From the battery to the brake rotors, much of the work was done in-house, on state-of-the-art machining equipment in Washburn or with a welding torch in the Sagamore shop.

The completed car was then loaded into a trailer and hauled to the competition, where over the course of three days in late April the team competed in several events, including an autocross course and an endurance challenge. Active since 1985, WPI鈥檚 FSAE team has also made the trek to Michigan for the FSAE national competition. But in recent years, the team has focused its efforts on Formula Hybrid + Electric.

鈥淲e switched to electric for a few reasons,鈥?said Harris Brancazio, a senior and member of the MQP team. 鈥淏ut one of the main reasons was that sustainable transportation is really important, and it鈥檚 something we think students should be learning about at WPI.鈥?lt;/span>

In addition to making the move from internal combustion engines to fully electric power, the club has also adjusted its structure to ensure that the institutional knowledge gained through the MQP race car building experience does not leave with graduating seniors. Club members not on the MQP can complete various projects and tasks that support the race team in some way, and they earn independent study class credit along the way. One subgroup worked on the steering wheel design for the car this year; another fabricated a tool to move the car around in the pits at the track.

鈥淣ext year those students will be on the MQP team, and will have all of that knowledge,鈥?Brancazio said. 鈥淧lus, that way we can use the same base car over multiple years.鈥?amp;nbsp;

This year鈥檚 car is brand-new. The chassis was welded by a specialty manufacturer to the team鈥檚 exact design specifications, and once delivered, the team got to work at Sagamore, designing, machining, building, and installing nearly every nut, bolt, and suspension piece on the car.

On a recent afternoon before the competition, the car sat atop a rolling stand. It looked like a race car, but there were still some rather important details to be buttoned up. Outside in the hallway, a team member unrolled spools of raw carbon fiber, which would soon be mixed with epoxy and fitted to body part molds to make the race car鈥檚 aerodynamic bodywork.

WPI Researcher Leads Project To Develop Oxygen Sensor for Premature Infants of Color

leckelbecker — Mon, 13 Nov 2023 12:00:00 +0000

A prototype miniaturized transcutaneous oxygen sensor and its encapsulated form

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded $1.1 million to a team led by Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) researcher Ulkuhan Guler to develop a first-of-its-kind wearable sensor for premature infants that will address racial bias in healthcare by monitoring oxygen levels two different ways and correcting the measurements to account for variations in skin color.

The four-year project will create a convenient, affordable, noninvasive sensor about the size of a bandage that will enable infants at risk of lung disease to leave hospitals sooner and be accurately monitored at home, said Guler, an associate professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and principal investigator on the project.

鈥淧remature infants are at risk of respiratory distress, and oxygen monitoring is critical to their care so that they can leave hospitals and go home,鈥?Guler said. 鈥淪ome tools widely used at home to monitor oxygenation, however, do not accurately measure oxygen levels in infants with pigmented skin tones. There is a great need for new technology that mitigates the impact of racial bias in measurements and provides important information to the clinicians who are treating these infants.鈥?lt;/span>

Guler will collaborate on the research with co-investigators Dr. Lawrence Rhein, associate professor and chair of the Department of Pediatrics at UMass Chan Medical School, and Bige Unluturk, assistant professor of electrical engineering and biomedical engineering at Michigan State University.

The researchers will develop a wireless patch with a miniaturized low-power electronic sensor that will use light to measure blood oxygen levels two different ways: A transcutaneous blood gas monitor will sense oxygen gases diffusing through the skin, and a pulse oximeter will measure reflected or refracted light to determine oxygen saturation in hemoglobin, a protein found in red blood cells.

The sensor will transmit data to a small communications hub that could be placed on an infant鈥檚 crib or carrier. A bias-mitigation algorithm to correct for inaccurate measurements in people of color will run on the hub. The researchers will integrate hardware and software into a system that will be pilot tested on adults and infants in a clinical setting.

Worcester Polytechnic Institute and the College of the Holy Cross To Develop Innovative Dual Degree Programs

cbwamback — Tue, 27 Jun 2023 12:00:00 +0000

Two of Worcester鈥檚 oldest and largest institutions of higher education have announced a new partnership to strengthen collaborations and provide new pathways for students. Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) President Grace Wang and College of the Holy Cross President Vincent D. Rougeau signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to collaborate on combined Bachelor鈥檚/Master's programs.

These programs will provide opportunities for Holy Cross students to complete their Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree at Holy Cross and their Master of Science (MS) or Master of Engineering (MEng) degree at WPI in an accelerated 4+1 model.

鈥淔or many years, WPI and Holy Cross have worked cooperatively on common goals and to engage in topics of mutual interest 鈥?and to drive positive changes in the best interest of higher education in Central Massachusetts. Now we are expanding our partnership, reflecting the innovative spirit of our respective institutions to foster an even closer network of collaboration,鈥?lt;/span> said Wang. 鈥淭his partnership will provide pathways for Holy Cross students to pursue graduate studies in a distinctive STEM institution while enriching WPI with exceptional graduate candidates.鈥?amp;nbsp;

鈥淲e are delighted to collaborate with WPI on these innovative educational programs,鈥?said Rougeau. 鈥淭his partnership helps us expand our curriculum by connecting our model of outstanding liberal arts education with graduate training at one of the nation鈥檚 great technological universities. At the same time, we are able to work together to deepen our shared commitment to Worcester as a great place to live and learn.鈥?lt;/span>

Holy Cross juniors majoring in mathematics and computer science or physics will be eligible to start the path toward completing the 4+1 program by taking WPI courses.

Initial MS and MEng degree programs at WPI that are participating in this partnership are mechanical engineering, and electrical and computer engineering, with more offerings in computer science, mathematics, physics, neuroscience, business, and sustainability to be available in the near future.

Faculty and administrators from both Holy Cross and WPI will be working together to build out the program offerings over the next several months.

Number of Teaching Professors Pursuing Tenure at WPI Grows

leckelbecker — Thu, 01 Jun 2023 12:00:00 +0000

Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) has appointed 13 additional teaching professors to the university鈥檚 pioneering tenure track that recognizes and rewards excellence in teaching, bringing the total number of teaching faculty members on the tenure pathway to 43. The appointments take effect July 1.

The newest cohort represents the third round of appointments to the innovative tenure track. Sixteen faculty members were appointed in 2022; the first cohort of appointees, named in 2021, included 14 faculty members.

鈥淎ll of these faculty members are accomplished teachers who have demonstrated their commitment and talent for engaging students to think, learn, and collaborate in classrooms, in labs, and on projects around the globe鈥攚ork that is critical to providing the distinctive WPI education that equips students with the knowledge, skills, and passion to address the world鈥檚 great problems,鈥?says Provost Wole Soboyejo. 鈥淚 am delighted that these outstanding educators have the opportunity to pursue tenure.鈥?lt;/span>

Research universities such as WPI typically award tenure only to faculty members who balance teaching, research, and service. WPI鈥檚 tenure path for teaching professors opened the pursuit of tenure to those full-time faculty members whose primary responsibility is teaching, as well.

WPI launched its tenure track for teaching faculty members in 2021 after more than three years of study and discussion among faculty members, administrators, and trustees. Those who pursue and achieve tenure on this path are known as assistant, associate, or (full) professors of teaching, and are expected to spend most of their time teaching while also demonstrating professional growth and service to their academic communities.

The teaching track to tenure was part of a bundle of changes made in 2021 that also secured longer-term contracts, academic freedom, and the right to faculty governance participation for full-time teaching faculty who are not eligible to pursue tenure.

Undergraduate Research Projects Showcase at WPI: Innovative Ideas Tackling Real-World Problems

leckelbecker — Thu, 04 May 2023 12:00:00 +0000

A low-cost feeding device for infants, a process to break down 鈥渇orever chemicals,鈥?and an augmented reality quilt were among more than 500 innovative undergraduate research projects on display April 21 at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) during the university鈥檚 annual campus-wide celebration of senior students鈥?achievements.

The Undergraduate Research Projects Showcase gave about 1,145 senior students, who had worked alone or in teams for months, an opportunity to display their Major Qualifying Projects (MQP), which all students must complete to graduate. Supervised by faculty members and sometimes performed with outside sponsors, MQPs are professional-level research, design, or creative projects that seek solutions to real-world problems and reflect WPI鈥檚 leadership in project-based learning.

Grace Wang

鈥淚t is inspiring to see WPI鈥檚 students tackle real-world problems with innovation, creativity, and a great sense of social responsibility,鈥?said Grace Wang, WPI president. 鈥淭heir extraordinary accomplishments illustrate how project-based learning and WPI鈥檚 philosophy of theory and practice prepares critical thinkers, lifelong learners, and leaders who contribute to their fields and positively impact their communities.鈥?lt;/span>

Undergraduate research at WPI enables students to strengthen their knowledge in their majors and work across disciplines. The university鈥檚 annual showcase of undergraduate research projects is among events featured on the website of the Council on Undergraduate Research, which supports and promotes high-quality mentored undergraduate research, scholarship, and creative inquiry.

All the research projects, including the following five projects, can be found here:

Finding the Hidden Symphony in Science

adill — Wed, 28 Sep 2022 12:00:00 +0000

At a university focused on progress and change, it may come as a surprise that one thing has stayed consistent on Boynton Hill over the years: there鈥檚 no such thing as a typical WPI student. Our students are encouraged to not only make the most of their STEM education, but to pursue their passions, be they scientific, artistic, athletic, or some combination of all three. Rather than having to choose, students are challenged to blend their curiosities and talents into something singular, something that only they could achieve. The task may seem daunting at first glance but, time and again, the finished product is always worth it.

Just ask Robbie Oleynick 鈥?4.

As an electrical and computer engineering major with a minor in computer science, Oleynick has managed to craft a double helix of engineering and music, building a college experience for himself that鈥檚 as unique as, well, his own DNA.

鈥淚 can鈥檛 imagine myself doing anything similar at any other university,鈥?he says of the opportunities to entwine his engineering curriculum with his passions for music. Said opportunities have been plentiful: spurred on by his interest in digging deeper into music technology, he鈥檚 produced virtual performances for WPI鈥檚 Pep Band, Concert Band, Brass Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble, and Stage Band. (He鈥檚 a member of four of said ensembles, as well as VOX, WPI鈥檚 student musical theatre company, and Lens & Lights, a student organization that offers lighting, sound, and projection services on and off campus). 鈥淓ven though I wasn鈥檛 directly studying music, I wasn鈥檛 denied any opportunity, and felt accepted simply because I enjoy music.鈥?lt;/p>

He鈥檚 not alone in that enjoyment. Music is one of the most popular extracurricular activities at WPI, with classical pieces as well as instrumental takes on popular hits echoing across campus day in and day out. Students have their pick of nine choir and a cappella groups; more than a dozen music ensembles, orchestras, and groups; a musical theatre group; a student rock association; and a campus radio station. Most important, though, are the infinite opportunities for them to flex their muscles, both creative and scientific.

For Oleynick, one of those opportunities came in the form of WPI Drama/Theatre鈥檚 fall 2021 production, Silent Sky. It showcased a collaboration among faculty mentors and students while telling the story of Henrietta Leavitt and her groundbreaking discoveries in astronomy, highlighting the achievements of women in STEM.

NSF Awards $500,000 to WPI Researcher to Develop Wearable Sensor That Measures Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide Levels in Blood

leckelbecker — Thu, 19 May 2022 12:00:00 +0000

Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) researcher Ulkuhan Guler has been awarded a $500,000 CAREER grant by the National Science Foundation (NSF) to develop a wearable non-invasive sensor the size of a small bandage to measure oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in arterial blood, an advance that could improve how doctors monitor the home care of patients with respiratory illnesses.

鈥淩espiratory diseases are a leading cause of death and disability,鈥?said Guler, an assistant professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. 鈥淢edical providers need technologies to measure and monitor the oxygen and carbon dioxide levels of critically ill patients at home, and a miniaturized sensor worn on the skin could make that possible.鈥?lt;/p>

Currently, clinicians obtain precise molecular measurements of oxygen and carbon dioxide by drawing blood from a patient鈥檚 artery, but the process is invasive, and the measurements represent a single moment in time. Blood gas levels also can be measured non-invasively and for extended periods of time, but the process involves tethering a patient to a large piece of equipment. Fingertip oxygen sensors are widely available and non-invasive but do not precisely measure dissolved oxygen in the bloodstream.

Guler will develop LUCO, a luminescence-based carbon dioxide and oxygen-sensing wearable device that will combine custom electronics with gas-sensitive luminescence films to create a flat patch about 1.5 by 4 inches. LUCO will be light and comfortable to wear on the skin. It will measure gas levels related to arterial oxygen and carbon dioxide, and it will be capable of transmitting data in real time to clinicians. Guler will run a pilot study to test the device on 50 healthy adult volunteers.

In addition, Guler will use the grant to expand her mentoring and educational activities. She will recruit undergraduate students to work on projects related to the sensor and electronics design, create networking and professional workshops for underrepresented female students in the semiconductor field, participate in science programs for kindergarten through 12th grade students, re-design an integrated circuits course for undergraduates, and develop a new biomedical device course for graduate students.

The research builds on Guler鈥檚 previous work to create a miniaturized oxygen sensor for babies and her research focus on creating secure, smart, and connected technologies for healthcare and other applications.

鈥淭he COVID-19 pandemic has illustrated how important it is to accurately assess and monitor respiration, so this technology will represent an impactful advance,鈥?Guler said. 鈥淚 hope it will help clinicians study and treat novel and long-standing respiratory diseases to make new medical discoveries and improve human health.鈥?lt;/p>

A Celebration of the Class of 2022

amracicot — Mon, 09 May 2022 12:00:00 +0000

The members of the Class of 2022 may have completed this part of their journey at WPI, but WPI will never leave them. It鈥檚 commonly said that there鈥檚 no singular WPI experience, and the same holds true for our graduates once they鈥檝e got that long-awaited symbol of all their hard work in hand. Whether they鈥檙e planning to pursue graduate school, a new job, military service, or something else entirely, they鈥檙e more than ready to make their future their own鈥攁ll with the knowledge that they鈥檝e got the support of the entire WPI community behind them. In celebration of them and their countless accomplishments, we asked a few members of the Class of 2022 to reflect on their time at WPI and how they鈥檒l carry their alma mater in their lives once they leave the Hill.

WPI Expands Cybersecurity Research with NSF-Funded Microscope and High-Performance Computers

leckelbecker — Wed, 04 May 2022 12:00:00 +0000

Cybersecurity microscope in the Vernam Lab

Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) researchers led by Fatemeh Ganji have installed on campus a powerful microscope that is the first of its kind in New England and a critical piece of equipment in the development of a research center focused on semiconductor cybersecurity.

Ganji, assistant professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and other WPI researchers will use the new photon emission/laser fault injection microscope for research, teaching, and collaborations with academic and industry researchers as part of a three-year project. These microscopes use infrared light and high magnification lenses to examine semiconductors such as computer chips.

鈥淪ome U.S. semiconductor companies with global supply chains rely on foreign makers to produce electronic chips and boards that go into smartphones, computers, satellites, cars, self-driving cars, and more,鈥?Ganji said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 important to ensure the integrity of those devices as they move through supply chains. With this microscope, we can inspect electronic chips at the level of individual transistors, which enables research into how the industry can secure and safeguard semiconductors from malicious tampering, counterfeiting, and physical attacks.鈥?lt;/p>

The microscope and project were funded by a $360,608 National Science Foundation grant.

WPI researchers who are collaborating on Ganji鈥檚 project are Assistant Professor Ulkuhan Guler, Professor Patrick Schaumont, Professor Berk Sunar, and Assistant Professor Shahin Tajik, all of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

Microscope image of computer chip

The microscope was installed at WPI鈥檚 Vernam Lab as the university develops a new research center focused on the security of semiconductors and hardware that are critical to key innovation industries. WPI has been awarded nearly $1 million by the state to acquire additional equipment for the center.

With a camera that operates at sub-zero temperatures for optimal images, the new microscope can measure the photons emitted by working transistors of electronic chips so that users can analyze the activity of various areas on integrated circuits. Researchers can also use lasers to discover fault-sensitive regions on a chip.

Combined with high-performance computers, the equipment will allow WPI students and faculty to expand research that will improve the security and reliability of semiconductors used in critical industries such as health care, national intelligence, finance, transportation, and defense.

鈥淭raditional methods of examining semiconductors with high resolutions rely on physical probing of the integrated circuits and, in the process, destroy them,鈥?said Tajik. 鈥淭his new microscope relies on the power of light to reveal what is happening in a device.鈥?lt;/p>

The team has reached out to potential research collaborators through annual industry-academic New England Hardware Security events co-organized by WPI. In addition, the researchers are developing a new WPI course for students who will be working with the microscope.