Explain the theoretical principles and constraints that drive the design of lightweight block ciphers.

Analyze trade-offs between security, performance, and implementation cost in constrained environments.

Evaluate the structure and components of existing lightweight ciphers such as PRESENT, LED, and SIMON/SPECK.

Design new lightweight block cipher algorithms considering key schedule design, S-box construction, and round function strategies.

Apply cryptanalytic techniques such as linear, differential, and algebraic attacks to assess cipher security.

Compare and benchmark lightweight ciphers with respect to energy, area, and throughput in hardware and software contexts.

Interpret current research trends and standards (e.g., ISO/IEC, NIST LWC project) in lightweight cryptography.

Formulate and present original research or implementation projects in lightweight cipher design.