Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

Tadayoshi Kohno is a pioneering computer security researcher whose work sits at the critical intersection of cybersecurity, robotics, and cyber-physical systems. Best known for his foundational contributions to robot security and privacy, Kohno has helped shape how engineers, policymakers, and society think about the vulnerabilities embedded in emerging technologies. His landmark 2009 paper on security and privacy risks in household robots (149 citations) was remarkably prescient, anticipating threats that have only grown more relevant as smart home devices proliferate. Building on this foundation, Kohno extended his analysis to high-stakes clinical environments, co-authoring influential experimental studies on cyberattacks against teleoperated surgical robots — work that demonstrated concrete, real-world risks rather than merely theoretical ones. His research on denial-of-service attacks against robotic systems further underscored the fragility of systems operating at the boundary of digital and physical worlds. Kohno has also engaged with complex legal and ethical questions, asking provocatively whether deceiving a robot constitutes hacking — bridging technical and philosophical discourse. His more recent pilot study on telerobotic cardiac catheter ablation in rural hospitals reflects a deeper commitment to ensuring that the technologies he helps secure ultimately serve human health and equity. Across his career, Kohno has consistently translated rigorous technical analysis into meaningful real-world impact.