Towards System Security via Pneumatic Digital Logic Physical Unclonable Functions

Physical Unclonable Functions (PUF) are a type of security technology that utilizes the unique physical characteristics of circuits to generate random numbers for cryptographic purposes. These physical characteristics are based on the variability introduced during circuit manufacture and can be used as unique digital signatures produced from specific inputs in a circuit. Leveraging fabrication variations in the process of making an inverter we use COMSOL Multiphysics simulation to validate microfluidic chip designs and PUF functionalities. Simulation of a 2-inverter system using C++ and a randomness checker confirmed a random bit-stream generation, with a P value of 0.053 in the Cumsum test, highlighting key factors including uniqueness, lifespan, and area efficiency essential for ensuring the effectiveness and resilience of PUF-based security mechanisms, paving the way for future advancements in PUF technologies. The goal of the proposed research is to manufacture and use pneumatic digital logic to improve the security of integrated electrical, fluidics, and soft-robotic systems.