As DePin (Decentralized Personal Internet) technologies and robotics intersect, the unique challenges of integrating dynamic, autonomous systems like robot swarms become evident. Unlike static, sensing devices such as solar panels, robot swarms possess the ability to act independently, which introduces vulnerabilities. Specifically, a single malfunctioning or malicious (Byzantine) robot within a swarm can compromise the integrity of the entire system. Given the irreversible nature of actions taken by robots, ensuring the reliability and security of these swarms is paramount.

A potential solution involves leveraging zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs) to certify the execution of specific swarm strategies without revealing the strategy’s details. This cryptographic technique can validate that a swarm operated according to a pre-defined algorithm, based on hardware-attested data collected from the swarm and cryptographically signed information from external sensors. By incorporating ZKPs, we can establish a trustless environment where the behavior of robot swarms is verified in real-time, mitigating the risk posed by Byzantine robots.

Mohamed Baioumy & Alex Cheema from AI x Crypto Primer