Abstract
This paper proposes a novel method for generating True Random Numbers (TRNs) using electromechanical switches. The proposed generator is implemented using an FPGA board. The system utilizes the phenomenon of electromechanical switch bounce to produce a randomly fluctuated signal that is used to trigger a counter to generate a binary random number. Compared to other true random number generation methods, the proposed approach features a high degree of randomness using a simple circuit that can be easily built using off-the-shelf components. The proposed system is implemented using a commercial relay circuit connected to an FPGA board that is used to process and record the generated random sequences. Applying statistical testing on the experimentally generated sequences revealed a high degree of randomness, which proves its viability to modern applications, such as cryptography and communication system simulation and modeling.
Highlights
Random number generation has gained significant importance in different fields of science, engineering, and economics: first and foremost, the growing need for the confidential exchange of information during the last decade have increased the demand for cryptography and data encryption systems, whose cornerstone is generating random number sequences (Buchovecka, et al, 2016)
This paper proposes a simple and affordable True Random Number Generators (TRNGs) system by relying on the contact bounce phenomenon featured in electromechanical switches during its closing and opening operations
This paper aims to utilize the contact bounce phenomenon that exists in electromechanical switches to construct a simple and affordable True Random Numbers (TRNs) generator
Summary
Random number generation has gained significant importance in different fields of science, engineering, and economics: first and foremost, the growing need for the confidential exchange of information during the last decade have increased the demand for cryptography and data encryption systems, whose cornerstone is generating random number sequences (Buchovecka, et al, 2016). Modern scientific and engineering fields demand extensive modeling and simulation to study different physical, chemical, and biological processes Such operations require random numbers to mimic various conditions expected in real life (Rossetti, 2015). As clarified before, generating true random numbers by utilizing physical phenomena can be achieved when the phenomena are considered stochastic Such a process usually features the property of its output being highly affected by the slightest change in one of its initial conditions. Because of the spring mechanism acting on the contacts, the impact is repeated until all the kinetic energy of the first impact is dissipated This process constitutes the contact bounce, where each bounce is considered as a very fast break and make operation. To rely on the contact bounce to produce True Random Numbers, it is necessary to investigate the parameters that affect the different aspects of this phenomenon, especially the impact time, the number of bounces, and the frequency of the bounce
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