Project Details

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Portable Hardware-in-the-Loop OT Training Kit for Global Nuclear Cybersecurity Education

Company: PSU Department of Nuclear Engineering

Major(s):
Primary: NUCE
Secondary: CMPSC
Optional: CMPEN, EE, EGEE

Non-Disclosure Agreement: YES

Intellectual Property: YES

Project Motivation Cybersecurity professionals increasingly need hands-on experience with Operational Technology (OT) systems and Industrial Control Systems (ICS). While simulator-based environments such as ARCADE and ANS2.0 provide realistic cyber-physical training environments, students often lack exposure to the physical devices, sensors, actuators, and controller interactions that exist in real-world facilities. The goal of this project is to develop an inexpensive, portable, and easily replicated Hardware-in-the-Loop (HiL) Learning Kit that integrates with either the ARCADE or ANS2.0 simulation environments. The kit should provide a tangible physical component that allows students and trainees to observe, control, and secure a cyber-physical process while interacting with the simulator. The long-term vision is to support nuclear cybersecurity education worldwide by enabling institutions with limited resources to deploy affordable training systems that use commonly available components and open manufacturing techniques. Project Objectives The student team will design, prototype, test, and document a cyber-physical learning kit that: • Interfaces with ARCADE or ANS2.0 simulator environments. • Functions with either local laptop deployments or Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) deployments. • Emulates one or more industrial control system devices within the simulation environment. • Demonstrates a measurable/observable physical response to simulator actions. • Supports cybersecurity, networking, and control-system learning objectives. • Can be replicated using commercially available components and basic fabrication methods such as consumer-grade 3D printing. Technical Requirements The proposed solution should: • Use low-cost and globally available hardware. • Support simple deployment in classroom, workshop, or remote-learning environments. • Include at least one physical process representation (examples may include valves, pumps, tank levels, indicators, motors, lights, gauges, or other actuator-driven systems). • Incorporate a controller capable of emulating industrial PLC behavior. • Exchange data with simulator environments using appropriate industrial communication methods. • Be safe for classroom use. • Be transportable and durable. Expected Deliverables The student team should provide: • Functional prototype learning kit. • CAD models and design files. • 3D-printable component files. • Bill of materials with sourcing information. • Assembly guide. • Instructor guide. • Student laboratory exercises. • Testing and validation report. • Recommendations for future scalability and enhancements. Desired Outcomes The resulting kit should enable students anywhere in the world to: • Experience the interaction between cyber systems and physical processes. • Understand Operational Technology concepts. • Explore industrial communications and control architectures. • Conduct cybersecurity-focused exercises in a safe environment. • Learn the fundamentals of Hardware-in-the-Loop testing and cyber-physical systems. Project Variants for Four Teams The final design should support multiple deployment configurations: 1. ARCADE on Laptop 2. ARCADE on VDI 3. ANS2.0 on Laptop 4. ANS2.0 on VDI A common hardware architecture should be used wherever possible to minimize cost and maximize portability.