ARIA Research Funds Novel Cryptography Initiative to Secure Physical Interactions

London, UK – A pioneering research effort is underway at the UK’s Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA), focusing on extending the principles of cryptography beyond traditional digital systems to secure physical interactions and build trust using natural elements. The initiative is being spearheaded by Programme Directors Nicola Metcalfe and Alex Pruden.

Metcalfe articulated the ambitious scope of their work in a recent social media post, stating, "Alex and I are on a quest to understand how we can use cryptography beyond digital systems. What are new trust building blocks that we can build with nature? how can we use cryptography to secure physical interactions?" She further expressed enthusiasm for the agency's support, adding, "I am so glad @ARIA_research is the home for this effort."

ARIA Research, established to back high-risk, high-reward scientific and technological endeavors, is providing the institutional framework for this unconventional exploration. The agency's mission aligns with projects that seek to unlock transformative capabilities, and this venture into "physical cryptography" represents a significant departure from conventional digital security paradigms.

The research delves into novel ways to leverage inherent properties of the natural world or physical objects to create secure, verifiable interactions. This could involve concepts akin to Physical Unclonable Functions (PUFs), which use unique, unclonable physical characteristics for authentication, or advanced applications of quantum cryptography that move beyond securing data packets to verifying the integrity of physical supply chains or authenticating real-world items.

This forward-thinking approach aims to address emerging challenges in trust and security in an increasingly interconnected physical world. Potential applications span a wide range, from ensuring the authenticity of goods and combating counterfeiting to establishing verifiable interactions in complex physical environments, marking a new frontier in security innovation.