Earlence Fernandes

Papers

Total Citations

H-Index

About

Earlence Fernandes is a leading researcher in the security of cyber-physical systems and the Internet of Things (IoT). His work critically examines the intersection of human-robot interaction and cybersecurity, challenging conventional definitions of what constitutes a hack. In his highly influential paper "Is Tricking a Robot Hacking?" (2018, 10 citations), Fernandes explores how subtle manipulations of robotic perception—such as visual or auditory deception—can be weaponized as security threats, broadening the scope of attack surfaces in autonomous systems. This contribution has helped shape a new subfield that considers not just code-level exploits but also cognitive and behavioral attacks on machines. Fernandes’s research has significant implications for the safe deployment of robots in homes, hospitals, and public spaces, where trust in autonomous decision-making is paramount. His work is widely cited by scholars in security, robotics, and human-computer interaction, reflecting its cross-disciplinary impact. By reframing the question of what it means to "hack" a robot, Fernandes has opened new avenues for defense strategies and ethical considerations in AI safety, marking him as a pivotal voice in the next generation of cybersecurity research.