Whenever we send money using a mobile phone, use a bank card, or log into a website, our information is protected by some invisible numbers. These numbers are generated randomly so that no one can predict them. However, creating truly “random” numbers is technically a very difficult task. This is also known as randomness or random number generation. In most cases, the numbers used as random are actually artificial random numbers generated by a computer, known as pseudo-random numbers. These are never entirely unpredictable, which leaves lingering security risks.
This complex problem has been ingeniously solved by Bangladeshi researcher Dr. Mahfuzul Islam. He is currently working as an Associate Professor at the Institute of Science Tokyo (Institute of Science Tokyo), in the “Islam Laboratory” at the Electronic Circuits Research Lab. Under his leadership, a research team has developed a circuit that utilizes physical noise from nature, or thermal fluctuations, to generate true random numbers—a revolutionary breakthrough in digital security.
This innovation has been accepted at the IEEE APCCAS International Conference to be held in October 2025. The title of the research paper is—“A Booster-Enhanced Mismatch-Canceling Latch-Based True Random Number Generator for High-Speed Operation.” In a sense, this marks the beginning of a new chapter in secure communication systems. Additionally, another important paper has been accepted at the IEEE NEWCAS Conference, titled X. Huang and M. Islam, “High-speed energy-efficient true random number generator using self-compensating comparator,” in IEEE NEWCAS Conference, Jun. 2025, pp. 1–5.
Dr. Islam explains that conventional random number circuits often malfunction due to slight changes in temperature or voltage. His invented circuit uses a special self-compensating analog design technology, which detects and immediately corrects for such variations. As a result, the circuit operates reliably and does not require complicated calibration.
Another major achievement is its speed and efficiency. Typical circuits generate random numbers slowly, but this new design includes an additional phase called the “boost phase,” which increases the operating speed of the circuit by about a hundred times. Tests have shown that it can create one gigabit (1 billion bits) of random numbers per second while consuming only 0.16 picojoules per bit. The circuit’s size is also incredibly tiny—just 384 square micrometers.
This means that in the future, this circuit can be easily integrated into smartphones, bank cards, cloud servers, and even artificial intelligence chips, ensuring security at the hardware level.
Dr. Islam says, “This is not just a circuit; it is a technology that can redefine the very concept of security. We are leveraging the unpredictability of nature itself to build the strongest foundation for digital security.”
Globally, TRNGs are now considered the most crucial component in information security and encryption systems. This breakthrough by a Bangladeshi researcher is not only a scientific achievement, but it has also elevated Bangladesh’s status in the world of global cyber security to new heights.
Short Biography
Dr. Mahfuzul Islam was born in Munshiganj, Bangladesh. After completing his higher secondary education at Sylhet Cadet College, he went to Japan in 2002 on a Monbukagakusho scholarship from the Japanese government. He obtained his Ph.D. (2014), master’s, and bachelor’s degrees in information engineering from Kyoto University. His research journey began at the National College of Technology, where he studied computer and control engineering.
He is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Information and Communication Engineering at Tokyo University of Science. He is fluent in Bengali, English, and Japanese. In Japan, he has been researching low-power electronic circuits, computing-in-memory, and secure communication systems for many years.
Dr. Islam was a fellow of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) in 2013. He worked as a researcher at the University of Tokyo and later as an assistant professor at Kyoto University. He currently leads research on circuit and system design at the “Islam Laboratory” of Tokyo University of Science.
The main goal of his research is to develop electronic circuits that are low-power, fast, and self-sustained, which will form the foundation of future AI and secure communication technologies.
He has received several international awards, including the IEEE Best Paper Award, Academic Research Award (IEEE CEDA Japan Chapter), and ASP-DAC Best Design Award.
Sources: IEEE APCCAS 2025 Conference Paper;
Tokyo University of Science, Islam Research Laboratory; Dr. Mahfuzul Islam’s official profile.
Interview with Dr. Mahfuzul Islam at Biggani.org:
https://biggani.com/mahfuzul_islam/
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