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About

Robert N. M. Watson is a leading researcher in computer security, cyber-physical systems, and capability-based hardware-software co-design. He is best known for his pioneering work on the CHERI architecture, a capability model that fundamentally rethinks memory safety and access control to prevent common software vulnerabilities. His papers on CHERI, including "CheriRTOS: A Capability Model for Embedded Devices" (20 citations) and "CHERI Macaroons: Efficient, host-based access control for cyber-physical systems" (2 citations), demonstrate how capability-based security can be applied to resource-constrained embedded systems, from medical devices to avionics, where traditional network boundary defenses are insufficient. Watson’s early work on "Characterization of delay-induced piloting instability for the Triton undersea robot" (15 citations) reveals his long-standing interest in the human factors and real-time challenges of controlling remote systems. His research has directly influenced the design of more resilient CPS, and his contributions to the CHERI project have been adopted in commercial processors and operating systems. With over 60 publications and a citation count exceeding 1,000, Watson is a key figure in bridging the gap between theoretical security models and practical, deployable solutions for the Internet of Things and critical infrastructure.