How Tulsa’s Tech Hub is ensuring autonomous systems will be trustworthy and secure

This blog is the fifth in a series featuring seven component projects outlined in the Tulsa Hub for Equitable and Trustworthy Autonomy’s (THETA) phase 2 application for the U.S. Economic Development Administration’s Tech Hubs program in which Tech Hub designees are eligible to apply for up to $70 million in implementation funding.

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Often, cybersecurity is treated as an afterthought, with solutions continuously developing to meet new threats as they emerge. For technologies that operate in complex environments and interact with people rather than in a constrained lab or factory setting, this approach will be insufficient. To ensure safety and public trust of technologies like UAS and autonomous vehicles, these systems must be designed for security from the outset. 

Luckily, the Tulsa region is poised to tackle these challenges. The Applied Research & Commercialization Hub (ARC-H), part of the Tulsa Hub for Equitable and Trustworthy Autonomy (THETA), will propel the Greater Tulsa Region (GTR) into a forefront position in the development, maturation and scaling of Trustworthy and Equitable Autonomous Systems (TEAS).

ARC-H, coordinated by Tulsa Innovation Labs (TIL), seeks to leverage and coordinate the vast cybersecurity and autonomous systems expertise across the region's academic, corporate and government entities to establish Tulsa as a hub of innovation and commercialization for autonomous technologies. These efforts are supported by collaborations with major regional academic institutions like the Oklahoma Aerospace Institute for Research & Education (OAIRE) at Oklahoma State University and the Oklahoma Cyber Innovation Institute (OCII) at The University of Tulsa, which for decades have contributed to leading-edge research in autonomous systems and cybersecurity, respectively.

The cornerstone initiative of ARC-H is the establishment of the THETA Fellows program, which will attract top TEAS researchers from around the world to work on collaborative projects with OAIRE and OCII by providing flexible funding support to researchers developing innovative technologies with dedicated interest from industry.

The hub also plans to directly address the cybersecurity vulnerabilities of autonomous systems by aiding in the application of the Green UAS certification, informing the next generation of cybersecurity standards for autonomous systems, and creating new pathways for local startups to engage with national defense contracts.

The success of ARC-H is expected to catalyze the creation of more than 300 jobs and attract new researchers and startups to Tulsa, further solidifying the region's reputation as a leader in TEAS. By aligning research and development efforts with industry needs and providing a clear path to commercialization, ARC-H will position the Greater Tulsa Region as a vital player in the national and global autonomous systems landscape, driving economic growth and technological advancement.

‍Tulsa was one of 31 regions designated a “Tech Hub” in phase 1 of the U.S. Economic Development Administration’s Tech Hubs program in October 2023.  The EDA is expected to announce the phase 2 winners this summer.