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Enhancing Reliability in LLM-Integrated Robotic Systems: A Unified Approach to Security and Safety

Authors: Wenxiao Zhang, Xiangrui Kong, Conan Dewitt, Thomas Brรคunl, Jin B. Hong

Published: 2025-09-02

arXiv ID: 2509.02163v1

Added to Library: 2025-09-04 04:03 UTC

Safety

๐Ÿ“„ Abstract

Integrating large language models (LLMs) into robotic systems has revolutionised embodied artificial intelligence, enabling advanced decision-making and adaptability. However, ensuring reliability, encompassing both security against adversarial attacks and safety in complex environments, remains a critical challenge. To address this, we propose a unified framework that mitigates prompt injection attacks while enforcing operational safety through robust validation mechanisms. Our approach combines prompt assembling, state management, and safety validation, evaluated using both performance and security metrics. Experiments show a 30.8% improvement under injection attacks and up to a 325% improvement in complex environment settings under adversarial conditions compared to baseline scenarios. This work bridges the gap between safety and security in LLM-based robotic systems, offering actionable insights for deploying reliable LLM-integrated mobile robots in real-world settings. The framework is open-sourced with simulation and physical deployment demos at https://llmeyesim.vercel.app/

๐Ÿ” Key Points

  • Proposes a unified framework that integrates safety validation and security mechanisms to improve reliability in LLM-based robotic systems.
  • Demonstrates a 30.8% improvement in security performance under adversarial conditions, significantly safeguarding against prompt injection attacks.
  • Achieves up to a 325% enhancement in overall performance metrics in complex environments, providing actionable insights for deploying LLM-integrated robots in real-world applications.
  • Validates the framework through extensive simulations and real-world tests, confirming its effectiveness across various dynamic and challenging scenarios.
  • Introduces novel metrics, such as Mission Oriented Exploration Rate (MOER) and Target Loss Rate (TLR), tailored for evaluating LLM performance in robotic navigation tasks.

๐Ÿ’ก Why This Paper Matters

This paper is crucial in addressing the significant challenges posed by integrating large language models into robotic systems, a domain that is rapidly evolving. By presenting a unified approach that combines safety and security considerations, it offers a comprehensive method for enhancing the reliability of LLM-driven robots, making it highly relevant for deploying these systems in real-world environments. The findings highlighted not only improve theoretical knowledge but also have practical implications for safety-critical applications where ensuring reliability is paramount.

๐ŸŽฏ Why It's Interesting for AI Security Researchers

For AI security researchers, this paper provides valuable insights into the vulnerabilities of LLMs when integrated into robotics, particularly regarding adversarial attacks like prompt injection. The innovative methodologies proposed for mitigating these risks add to the body of knowledge in AI security, offering new avenues for research into building more robust AI systems. Furthermore, by illustrating the practical implications of security measures in real-world robotics, it underscores the significance of addressing AI vulnerabilities in everyday applications, making it a pertinent study for enhancing overall AI safety.

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