Thomas Pieber

Papers

Total Citations

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About

Thomas Pieber is a researcher at the forefront of secure and resilient machine-to-machine communication, with a particular focus on trustworthy data transfer in challenging environments. His most cited work, “Sneakernet on wheels: Trustworthy NFC-based robot to machine communication” (2017, 5 citations), introduces a novel approach to bypass the limitations of conventional wireless technologies like WiFi and Bluetooth, which are prone to interference, coverage gaps, and eavesdropping. By leveraging Near Field Communication (NFC) on mobile robots, Pieber pioneers a “sneakernet” paradigm—physically transporting data via robots to ensure reliable, interference-free, and inherently secure communication. This work addresses critical vulnerabilities in industrial and IoT settings where wireless signals are unreliable or untrusted. Pieber’s contributions are particularly impactful for applications requiring high assurance, such as manufacturing floors, healthcare logistics, and critical infrastructure. While his citation count reflects a focused, emerging field, his innovative synthesis of robotics and NFC security has laid groundwork for next-generation, tamper-resistant data ferrying systems. His research stands out for its practical, hardware-driven approach to solving real-world wireless reliability problems.