IMEC Showcases Cyber-Physical WebAssembly Innovations at WasmCon 2024 as Part of the ELASTIC Project

On November 12, 2024, Merlijn Sebrechts and Michiel Van Kenhove, researchers from IMEC and partners in the ELASTIC project, presented their work on Cyber-Physical WebAssembly at WasmCon 2024 in Salt Lake City, USA.

Their presentation addressed critical challenges in IoT and embedded software, particularly the difficulties in updating software on such devices. This issue often leads to outdated systems with potential security vulnerabilities. To address this, they proposed a novel approach where hardware drivers are executed within WebAssembly components. This methodology enables more frequent and efficient updates, extending the lifespan of IoT and embedded devices.

During their talk, they highlighted proof-of-concept implementations demonstrating negligible performance overhead in execution. The session concluded with an engaging demo: a USB driver for an Xbox controller embedded in WebAssembly, used to play a simplified version of Pac-Man entirely within WebAssembly.

The presentation also served as a platform to promote the upcoming IEEE/IFIP WACE 2025 workshop, organized by the team. Beyond the technical insights, the event provided opportunities for networking, sparking potential collaborations with experts from both academia and industry.

For those who missed the live session, the recording is available here, and the original schedule item can be accessed here.

About WasmCon 2024
WasmCon 2024 is a premier conference dedicated to WebAssembly, bringing together developers, researchers, and industry leaders to explore advancements, share knowledge, and discuss the future of this transformative technology. It serves as a platform for showcasing innovations and fostering collaboration in the WebAssembly ecosystem.