A group that seeks to develop a community in dependable robotics , with particular focus on security and safety.
The Safe and Secure Robotics initiative focuses on advancing the design, deployment, and governance of autonomous robotic systems that operate safely, securely, and ethically in complex real-world environments. As robots are increasingly deployed in safety-critical and human-centred settings, ensuring their resilience, trustworthiness, and alignment with societal values has become a pressing challenge.
This work brings together a UK-wide interdisciplinary community spanning robotics, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, psychology, human factors, ethics, law, and key application sectors to address these challenges in a coordinated and impactful way.
The initiative prioritises the development of safe-by-design, security-by-design, and privacy-by-design frameworks that are embedded throughout the robotic lifecycle, from system architecture and interaction design to deployment and long-term operation. Through collaborative workshops, horizon scanning, and shared research activities, the group identifies critical gaps at the intersection of robotics and cybersecurity, including real-time safety assurance, secure autonomy, and responsible data use. These insights inform strategic outputs such as the Safe and Secure Robotics Research Agenda 2030, providing clear direction for future research, standards, and policy development.
By fostering inclusive community building, supporting early-career researchers, and aligning closely with the UK Cyber Strategy, the initiative strengthens national capacity and leadership in safe and secure robotics.
Key aims
This SIG aims to establish a UK-wide community dedicated to advancing safe, secure, and privacy-aware autonomous robotic systems across human-centred and critical application domains, including healthcare, education, assistive living, defence, and manufacturing. The overarching aim is to develop and evaluate security-by-design and privacy-by-design frameworks that ensure autonomous robots, particularly those operating in safety-critical or high-risk environments, are trustworthy, resilient, and ethically aligned with user, organisational, and societal needs.
Advance the UK Cyber Strategy
The group will support the UK National Cyber Strategy by strengthening cybersecurity in next-generation autonomous robotic systems, enhancing the resilience of critical services while reinforcing the UK’s leadership in autonomous and cyber-physical technologies.
Foster Interdisciplinary Research
The SIG will unite expertise from robotics, cybersecurity, AI, ethics, law, human factors, psychology, and key application sectors to address safety and privacy challenges in autonomous robotics. This collaboration will enable the co-development of real-time safety mechanisms and user-centred privacy frameworks aligned with CRANE’s multidisciplinary mission.
Identify Game-Changing Research Needs
Through workshops and horizon scanning, the SIG will identify critical research gaps at the robotics–cybersecurity interface. These insights will be consolidated into the Safe and Secure Robotics Research Agenda 2030 to guide future research, standards development, and innovation.
Build a Sustainable and Inclusive Community
The SIG will establish a national, inclusive network spanning academia, industry, public services, and policy. Through online engagement, regional activities, and mentorship for early-career researchers, it will support long-term capacity building and impact in safe and secure robotics.
Main contacts
Dr. John A Clark
Professor of Computer and Information Security (Lead), University of Sheffield
Dr. Jims Marchang
Senior Lecturer in Cybersecurity, Sheffield Hallam University
Upcoming events
Commencing May 2026, the Safe and Secure Robotics SIG has launched an online seminar series, which aims to bring together researchers, practitioners, and stakeholders to discuss emerging challenges and advances in safe, secure, and trustworthy robotics.
Upcoming seminar:
Talk Title: Network Degradation and Mission Continuity
By Bayram Yüksel Eker, Founder and Technical Lead Neura Parse Ltd
Abstract: When a connection becomes unreliable, how should a shared mission continue? A delayed update can leave a team working from different versions of events. Restoring the connection helps, but it does not tell us whether an earlier instruction was carried out or whether it is sensible to proceed.
Drawing on Neura Parse’s work on NODERIQ, this talk explores the decisions that sit between losing contact and returning to coordinated work. An illustrative inspection mission will provide a practical setting: what can continue with the information already available, when should activity pause, and where does an operator’s judgement remain essential?
The discussion will connect current software and simulation work with the questions guiding NODERIQ-RCN, a collaborative research direction. Rather than treating continuity as uninterrupted activity, it will consider how a mission can stay aligned with its goals and keep people informed during disruption. Attendees will be invited to discuss what a convincing recovery looks like, which failures deserve closer attention, and how to assess progress without overlooking uncertainty. The aim is a shared understanding of what it takes to resume work with confidence.
Bio of Bayram Eker:
Bayram Yüksel Eker is the founder and technical lead of Neura Parse Ltd. His engineering background spans public infrastructure, telecommunications platforms and enterprise AI. He leads the company’s work on systems that connect information with decisions and actions, including NODERIQ. His interests centre on how people and machines can work together when information is incomplete or conditions change. He brings a practical engineering perspective to questions of coordination, human oversight and the evidence needed to understand a system’s behaviour.
How to Join and when 13th of November (Friday) 2026, Time: 1-2PM:
Microsoft Teams meeting
Join: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/3144227546593871?p=J30u0g52hWiNSr8Bbh
Meeting ID: 314 422 754 659 387 1
Passcode: vJ7dW3fK
Talk title: Trust me, I’m a Robot
by Prof. Steven Furnell of Cyber Security at University of Nottingham.
Abstract: Much of the research around human-robot interaction has focused upon means of building and improving the trust relationship for users with their robotic devices, particularly when considering uses in care and companionship contexts. However, this potentially creates a situation that could be problematic for cyber security. Here we need to recognise and remember that, just like many other digital technologies, robots bring risks alongside their benefits.
A robot is ultimately yet another technology device, and we do not have a great track record of ensuring and maintaining cyber security in these contexts. Devices and software are released with security flaws and exploitable vulnerabilities, while the human owners have consistently proven themselves to be less than reliable when it comes to following cyber security practices and ensuring related maintenance. Is there any reason to believe that our position with robotic technologies will be any different? Moreover, the trust relationship that we encouraged to develop with our robotic companions could become a target for attackers, as another route by which to exploit us.
The talk will examine these issues, considering not only the question of whether we can trust robots, but also whether we can trust the human element with their security.
Bio of Steven Furnell: Steven Furnell is Professor of Cyber Security in the School of Computer Science at the University of Nottingham. His research interests include security awareness and culture, and usability of security. He has authored over 430 papers in refereed international journals and conference proceedings, as well as various books, book chapters, and industry reports. Amongst his various roles and responsibilities, Steve is the UK representative to Technical Committee 11 (security and privacy) within the International Federation for Information Processing, a board member of the Chartered Institute of Information Security, a member of the Steering Group for the Cyber Security Body of Knowledge (CyBOK), and the Editor of Computers & Security. Having spent many years researching human aspects of cyber security, he is curious to see how robots will further complicate matters in terms of trust, vulnerability, and routes to exploitation.
How to Join and when 20th November, Friday, 2026, 1-2PM.:
Microsoft Teams meeting
Join: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/342417140167257?p=55xfxbfdJfOD6ty1x4
Meeting ID: 342 417 140 167 257 Passcode: 7CL3hh6A
To receive updates about this group including invitations to upcoming events, please sign up to this SIG for free, using the links at the bottom of this page.
Resources
Past event recordings
Download April 2026 launch event presentation slides
To join this group, please visit the CRANE membership page and complete the membership form. Existing CRANE member? Register Here for this SIG.