Security of embedded systems and digital platforms is paramount in the deployment of the Internet-of-Things. The ability to securely generate and store secrets in electronic environments and over communication networks is an essential requirement for all modern security applications. State-of-the-art methods for secret key generation and storage have been developed which are based on fuzzy sources, e.g., physically unclonable functions or PUFs, and quantum channels. These key generation methods offer greatly enhanced levels of security but rely on the use of error-correcting codes. Compared to their use in classic communication channels, the needed codes have stricter requirements in terms of much lower rates, restricted block lengths, and the ability to securely deal with non-uniform sources.

In this project, the PhD candidate will work on the development of new codes meeting these requirements. The expected focus will be on modern coding frameworks using soft-decision probabilistic decoders, such as polar codes and LDPC codes. Several outbranching research directions are possible, such as: integration of new decoders with pre- and post-processing techniques for fuzzy sources, optimization of decoder complexity, working on innovative decoder architectures, prototyping of new decoders, development of new processing techniques for dealing with non-uniform sources, etc. Based on the interest of the candidate, specific research directions can be chosen.

The main host for this position will the Information and Communication Theory Lab (ICT Lab) of the Signal Processing Systems group (SPS) at TU Eindhoven, but it is co-hosted by Intrinsic ID, an Eindhoven-based industrial partner, and by the Coding and Cryptography group (COD) at TU Munich headed by professor Wachter-Zeh, which is a partner in the EuroTech consortium. Parts of the project are scheduled to be performed on-site at Intrinsic ID and TUM. In that way, the candidate will get the opportunity to collaborate with international experts in coding theory both at TU/e and TUM, but also to explore the practical impact in an innovative company which is a world-leader in this technology. For this reason, a candidate with a good mix between strong analytical abilities and hands-on practical skills is preferred.