Building Embedded

Systems

A beginner's guide to Design

Patterns for Great Software

Koso Brown
 Copyright 2024© Koso Brown
All rights reserved. This book is copyrighted and
no part of it may be reproduced, distributed, or
transmitted in any form or by any means,
including photocopying, recording, or other
electronic or mechanical methods, without the
prior written permission of the publisher,
except in the case of brief quotations embodied
in critical reviews and certain other non-
commercial uses permitted by copyright law.
Printed in the United States of America
Copyright 2024© Koso Brown
Contents
Introduction .............................................................. 1
Chapter 1 .................................................................. 3
What is an Embedded System? .................................. 3
Chapter 2 ................................................................ 15
What's the process of an embedded system? ........... 15
Chapter 3 ................................................................ 24
Debugging Embedded Systems ................................ 24
Chapter 4 ................................................................ 34
What role does Arduino play in embedded systems? 34
Chapter 5 ................................................................ 39
Embedded systems' purpose.................................... 39
Conclusion............................................................... 52
 Introduction
The Apollo Guidance Computer, created in the 1960s
by Dr. Charles Stark Draper at the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology for the Apollo Program, was
the first contemporary embedded computer system
to operate in real-time. The purpose of the Apollo
Guidance Computer was to automatically gather data
and perform computations essential to the Apollo
Command Module and Lunar Module's missions.

To improve embedded system design, the National

Engineering Manufacturers Association released a
standard for programmable microcontrollers in 1978.
By the early 1980s, memory, input, and output system
components had been integrated into the same chip
as the processor, forming a microcontroller. Intel
released the Intel 4004, the first commercially
available microprocessor unit, in 1971.

Every element of customers' daily life, from traffic

lights and thermostats to credit card readers and cell
phones, would eventually have an embedded
1
microcontroller system.

2
 Chapter 1

What is an Embedded System?

A computer hardware and software combination
created for a particular purpose is called an
embedded system. Embedded systems can operate in
a larger system. The systems may have fixed
functionality or be programmable. An embedded
system may be found in an industrial machine,
consumer electronics, agricultural and processing
sector devices, cars, medical equipment, cameras,
digital watches, home appliances, vending machines,
toys, and mobile devices.
Even though they are computer systems, embedded
systems can have sophisticated graphical user
interfaces (GUIs), as seen in mobile devices, or they
can have no UI at all, as in the case of devices made
to do a specific purpose. Button, LED (light-emitting
diode), and touchscreen sensing are examples of user
interfaces. Remote user interfaces are also used by
some systems.
3
Business-to-business (B2B) research firm
MarketsandMarkets estimated that the embedded
market would reach a valuation of $116.2 billion by
2025. Numerous well-known technology companies,
including Apple, IBM, Intel, and Texas Instruments,
are among the chip producers for embedded systems.
The requirement for chips made for high-level
processing, mobile computing, and ongoing
investments in artificial intelligence (AI) all
contribute to the anticipated growth.

Embedded system examples

Numerous technologies in a variety of industries
employ embedded systems. Among the instances are:

❖ Industrial machine. Both embedded

systems and embedded systems themselves
may be present in them, such as sensors.
Embedded automation systems, which carry
out particular monitoring and control tasks,
are frequently found in industrial machinery.

4
❖ Healthcare equipment. These might have
embedded mechanisms, such as control and
sensor systems. Industrial and medical
machinery alike need to be extremely user-
friendly to avoid avoidable machine errors
endangering human health. This implies that
they frequently have a more sophisticated OS
and GUI made for a suitable user interface.
❖ Smartphones. These include a variety of
embedded systems, such as input/output
(I/O) modules for the USB (Universal Serial
Bus), cameras, microphones, operating
systems (OSes), and GUI software and
hardware.
❖ Automobiles. Many computers, often as
many as 100, or embedded systems, intended
to carry out various functions within the
vehicle, are a frequent feature of modern cars.
While some of these devices carry out simple
utilitarian tasks, others entertain or engage
the user. Airbags, cruise control, backup
sensors, suspension control, and navigation

5
 systems are a few embedded systems found in
consumer cars.

How to Get Knowledge on Embedded Systems

Having gained a basic understanding of the process
of creating an embedded system, let us now move on
to discover how to learn embedded systems. This will
provide you with a comprehensive understanding of
how to begin working with embedded programming
and systems.

Knowledge of fundamental electronics

6
So, learning the fundamentals of electronics should
come first. Most likely one of the most crucial points.
Since electronics permeates everything we discuss
here, learning about electrical components—
including how they function and are used—will be
crucial to grasping embedded systems. Since
electronic components are used throughout the
construction of embedded systems, you should learn
as much as you can about them. But the first step in
getting started is to comprehend the items listed
below.

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Switching devices: relays

To turn on and off devices using the output of a

microcontroller, switching devices and circuits are
required. A microcontroller board, such as the
Arduino or any other microcontroller, typically
outputs only digital signals. There are two possible
values for this digital signal: 1 and 0. In terms of
electricity, 0 represents the ground voltage and 1
denotes the microcontroller's working voltage.
Typically, 0 denotes the negative of the power supply
circuit or the GND of the DC supply, while 1 denotes
either +3.3 v or +5 v. A physical device, such as a light
bulb, cannot be turned on or off with this little
voltage. Thus, a transistor receives this power and

8
activates a device known as a relay. The main AC
appliances can then be switched using this relay.

9
LEDs

The most intriguing electrical component in the

circuit is probably the LED. Light-emitting Diode
(LED) components can emit a particular type of light.
It could be yellow, blue, green, or red. LEDs have an
extremely long lifespan and require very little
voltage—typically 3 volts—to turn ON. LEDs are used
in the power indicators of practically all electronic
appliances. LEDs are used as the power light in TV
remote controls, DVD players, microwaves, and TVs.
These days, we have LED TVs, which employ LEDs to
backlight the LCD panel within. Additional
information regarding LEDs can be found here.
10
Transistors

Three primary circuit types use transistors.

✓ Changing

✓ Expansion

✓ Generation of oscillation

Transistors are mostly utilized for switching

in embedded systems. Transistors have

11
 various uses in analog circuits such as
oscillators and amplifiers. It is a
straightforward three-terminal device that
may be purchased as an NPN or PNP
transistor. How they conduct and govern
electricity is different.

Diodes

In electronics, a diode is a unidirectional switch. A

diode's function is to permit current to flow in one
direction while obstructing it in the other. Diodes are
primarily utilized in circuits that use rectifiers. DC
voltage is created by rectifier circuit conversion of AC
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voltage. Power supplies are made with rectifiers. A
diode is employed in many applications where this
one-way conduction property is required, aside from
rectifiers, such as circuit protection.

Capacitors

A capacitor is a passive electrical component with

two leads that was once referred to as a condenser. In
an electric circuit, energy is stored in capacitors.
There are various kinds of capacitors in use. However,
they are always made up of at least two electrical
conductor plates that are spaced between by an
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insulator material, or dielectric. Thin metal films,
such as aluminum foil, can serve as the conductors.
The capacitor's capacity to store charge is increased
by the "nonconducting" dielectric material.
Resistors

Those tiny small electronic components called

resistors are used to block the flow of electric current.
A resistor's function is to resist—that is, to oppose—
the flow of electricity whenever we attempt to
establish a tiny circuit.
A resistor's resistance value is always the same.
Because resistors are passive parts, they function in

14
the same manner in circuits connected in either
direction. We can control the amount of current that
flows through a circuit by utilizing resistors

Chapter 2

What's the process of an

embedded system?
Embedded refers to the fact that embedded systems
are always a component of a whole device. These are
tiny, low-cost, low-power computers that are
integrated into other electrical or mechanical
systems. They typically consist of a processor,
memory, communication ports, and a power source.
Using a communication protocol, embedded systems
use the communication ports to transfer data
between the processor and peripheral devices, which
are frequently other embedded systems. The CPU
uses the basic software that is stored in memory to
evaluate this data. Typically, the software is
extremely tailored to the purpose of the embedded
system.

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The processor could be a microcontroller or a
microprocessor. Microcontrollers are essentially
microprocessors with built-in integrated memory
and external ports. Memory and peripherals are not
built into microprocessors; instead, they are used by
separate integrated circuits. Both are functional, but
because microprocessors have less integrated
circuitry than microcontrollers, they usually need
additional support circuitry. One often uses the term
system on a chip (SoC). On a single chip, SoCs have
several processors and interfaces. They're frequently

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applied to embedded systems with large volumes.
Application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) and
field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) are two
examples of SoC kinds.

Real-time operating systems (RTOS) are utilized by

embedded systems to interface with hardware in real-
time operating environments. At higher levels of chip
capability—defined by designers who have
increasingly determined that the jobs are tolerant of
small fluctuations in reaction time and the systems
are generally fast enough—near-real-time techniques
are appropriate. Although other OSes, such as
Embedded Java and Windows IoT (previously
Windows Embedded), have been condensed to run
on embedded systems, stripped-down variants of the
Linux operating system are frequently used in these
situations.

17
Features of embedded systems
The primary attribute of embedded systems is their
task-specific nature.
Moreover, embedded systems may include the
following features:

❖ Often have to do their tasks within a certain

amount of time to maintain the smooth
operation of the bigger system.
❖ Are frequently utilized in Internet of Things
(IoT) devices, which are internet-connected
gadgets that don't need to be operated by
users, for sensing and real-time computation;
❖ Either microprocessor- or microcontroller-
based, both of which are integrated circuits
that provide computing power to the system;
❖ Because they are designed for specific
activities inside the system rather than a
variety of functions, they can be integrated
into a bigger system to carry out a particular

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 purpose;
❖ Often comprises firmware, software, and
hardware;

The framework of embedded systems

Though they might range in complexity, embedded
systems typically comprise three primary
components:
❖ Operating system in real-time. Particularly
in smaller-scale embedded systems, these are
not always present. By monitoring the
software and establishing guidelines as it is
being executed, RTOSes control how the
system functions.
❖ Firmware and software. The complexity of
software for embedded systems might vary.
On the other hand, embedded IoT devices
and industrial-grade microcontrollers
typically run very basic software with low
memory requirements.
❖ Hardware. The microprocessor and
microcontroller are the foundational
components of embedded system hardware.
19
 Microprocessors and microcontrollers are
closely related. A microprocessor is a central
processing unit (CPU) that is coupled with
other fundamental computer components
including digital signal processors (DSPs) and
memory chips. All of those parts are
integrated into a single microcontroller chip.

A basic embedded system's hardware would include

the following components:

✓ Actuators select the proper output by

comparing the actual output with the output
stored in memory.
✓ Digital-to-analog (D-A) converters transform
the processor's digital data into analog data.
✓ Digital signals are processed by processors
and then stored in memory.
✓ An analog electrical signal is converted to a
digital one using analog-to-digital (A-D)
converters.
✓ Sensors generate an electrical signal from
physical sense data.

20
The sensor receives input from the outside world,
converters make it legible for the CPU, and the
processor then converts that data into output that the
embedded system may use.
Embedded system types
A few fundamental types of embedded systems exist,
with varying functional needs. They are as follows:

❖ Real-time embedded systems provide the

needed result within a predetermined
window of time. Since they are in charge of
time-sensitive duties, they are frequently
employed in the industrial, military, and
medical sectors. An illustration of this would
be a traffic control system.

❖ Independent embedded systems lack

dependence on a host system. Just like every
other embedded system, they carry out a
certain function. Unlike other embedded
systems, though, they are not always a part of
a host system. An MP3 player or calculator are

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 two examples of this.
❖ Embedded networks are wired into a
network to supply output to other systems.
Point of sale (POS) systems and home
security systems are two examples.
❖ Mobile embedded systems are compact
systems made to be carried around. Take
digital cameras as an illustration.

Another way to classify embedded systems is based

on their performance needs:
a larger microcontroller

❖ Advanced-level embedded systems

frequently employ many algorithms, which
increases the complexity of the hardware and
software and calls for the usage of
programmable logic arrays, configurable
processors, and/or more complicated
software.
❖ Embedded systems on a medium scale
utilize a larger microcontroller (16–32 bits)
and connect microcontrollers frequently.
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 ❖ Small-scale embedded systems frequently
make use of only an 8-bit microcontroller.

Several common software architectures for

embedded systems are required as these systems
expand and take on greater complexity. Among them
are:

❖ Preemptive multitasking or
multithreading has synchronization and
job-switching techniques, and it is frequently
used in conjunction with an RTOS.
❖ Cooperative multitasking is essentially an
application programming interface (API) that
has a basic control loop.
❖ Interrupt controlled systems possess a
primary loop and a secondary loop. Tasks are
initiated when loop disruptions occur.

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 ❖ Simple control loops are called subroutines,
which are used in embedded programming or
hardware to control a particular component.

Chapter 3

Debugging Embedded Systems

Debugging is one area where embedded systems
diverge from other larger-scale computers' operating
systems and development environments. While
working with desktop computer environments,
developers typically have computers that can run
both the code they are developing and independent
debugger software that can monitor the embedded
system; this is not always the case, though.

24
Certain programming languages are efficient enough
to operate on microcontrollers, allowing for on-chip,
basic interactive debugging. Furthermore, a JTAG or
comparable debugging interface can be used to
control CPU debuggers on CPUs, which in turn
controls program execution.
However, programmers frequently require tools that
connect an independent debugging system via a
serial or other connection to the target machine. In
this example, debugging software on a desktop
computer is analogous to the programmer seeing the
source code on the screen of a general-purpose
25
computer. Alternatively, and more commonly,
software can be used to simulate the physical chip on
a PC. In essence, this enables debugging the
software's performance as though it were operating
on a real, physical chip.
In general, testing and debugging of embedded
systems have gained increased attention because
many devices that use embedded controls are
intended for use, particularly in scenarios where
dependability and safety are of utmost importance.

The Embedded Design

26
An embedded design is quite easy to construct. All
that will be included is the microcontroller unit,
which will handle the tasks of driving the display,
reading sensors, and switching output devices
(relays). The controller's software controls how the
device reads the temperature sensor, outputs the
value, and performs all of these functions. Unlike
typical analog or digital circuits, an embedded
controller cannot operate directly. Rather, an
embedded microcontroller requires a program to be
stored in its memory that will handle device control.
An IC that can be reconfigured is the microcontroller.

27
The microcontroller's pins are capable of doing many
tasks such as input, output, analog input, and more.
The behavior of the microcontroller's pins can vary
depending on the software that has been written.
Understanding microcontroller architecture is
necessary to become proficient in microcontroller
coding. We can begin developing the programs for
the microcontroller once we have thoroughly studied
its architecture. However, many people are unable to
directly plunge into embedded systems due to this
significant constraint. The Arduino board enters the
scene at this point. We don't need to understand
anything about the underlying hardware—referred to
as the microcontroller board—to program an
Arduino board. Soon, we'll go into more detail on the
Arduino board.

28
How is an embedded system constructed?
Thus, an embedded system is constructed with this
kind of microcontroller at its core. All of the relevant
input and output devices are either directly
interfaced with the microcontroller in an embedded
system or connected to it through a driver circuit.
The components depicted in the diagram below may
comprise all or some of an embedded system,
depending on the specific application.

Topology of Embedded System

29
What are the different components of Embedded
Systems?

Just glance at the block diagram up top. This

embedded system block diagram is quite basic. Well,
it truly is simple, I promise. The block diagram
provides an overview of an embedded system and
conceals nearly all of its complexity. Three key
components of the embedded system are displayed in
the embedded systems block diagram.

30
A controller is an embedded system's central
component. It is the responsibility of a controller to
process inputs and produce outputs. The internal
controller of a temperature controller is responsible
for reading the switches and the temperature value.
Next, control output devices by comparing the
temperature value with a predetermined point. All of
these functions are not available to controllers out of
the box; instead, software must reside inside each
controller to perform these functions. Software
programming for embedded devices becomes more
in demand as a result.

Among the most often utilized controllers in

embedded systems are

✓ System on Chip (SoC)

✓ Microprocessor

✓ PLDs (FPGA / CPLD)

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 ✓ Microcontroller
Outputs This is the only reason any system is
designed. We must provide results. Typically, a range
of driver circuits that can produce output action are
used to generate outputs. If microcontrollers are
utilized, their output can only produce modest
signals. either +3.3v or +5v as the output voltages.
Since these voltages are so low that they are unable
to directly drive any output device, we require an
output driver to turn on and off devices. The
examples of embedded system outputs below,
together with the corresponding drivers,

✓ Data visualization (LCD / LED screen

interfacing)
✓ Data transmission via the Internet for remote
observation (Wi-Fi interface)
✓ Fan on/off (thyristor driver, resistor, or relay)
✓ SMS Transmission (GSM Module)
✓ motors that rotate at different speeds (motor
driver)
✓ Buzzer On-off and sound generation (no

32
 driver)

✓ devices that turn on and off. (relay driver plus

transistor)
✓ LED On / Off (No Driver)

Inputs can typically originate from sensors or

switches. Switches will be used as inputs in the
temperature controller example to receive both the
temperature sensor and the setpoint. Similar to this,
a moisture level sensor will be a part of a plant
watering system.

33
 Chapter 4

What role does Arduino play in

embedded systems?

Understanding the controller is typically the area of

study that receives the greatest attention in an
embedded system. Developing embedded systems
requires a deep understanding of the
microcontrollers that are utilized in the system,
including how to write programs for them and
understand all of their instructions. Each
34
microcontroller has one or more of the following
features, which are necessary for correctly
programming embedded systems.
✓ RAM, Flash, and EEPROM memory
✓ Interrupts (to speed up processing and make
difficult programming problems easier to
solve)
✓ Protocols interfacing (I2C / SPI)
✓ Converter from Digital to Analog
✓ Serial Ports
✓ Counters and timers
✓ Ports for input and output

An all-in-one microcontroller chip contains all of

these functions. The microcontroller developer has to
come up with a novel method of configuring the
microcontroller to employ any of these
functionalities.
❖ Every microcontroller, which can do various
tasks like reading and writing data from
memory, input-output ports, and all of the
controller's registers, has its own set of
instructions.
35
 ❖ Second, the microcontroller has a large
number of unique function registers. The
microcontroller may include one or more
Special Function registers for each
functionality.
❖ A study of microcontroller architecture is the
examination of the instruction set and the
arrangement of every internal register taken
together.

Therefore, every embedded systems developer needs

to have a solid grasp of both the inputs and outputs
that are to be used, as well as the architecture of the
microcontroller. This is often taught to students
studying electronics and computer engineering as
part of their coursework; anyone else who is
interested in excelling in microcontroller studies
must do independent research on the subject. It is
imperative to possess a thorough understanding of
microcontroller architecture.

36
However,

What about those enthusiasts or creatives who wish

to create embedded systems but are ignorant of
microcontrollers?

In 2005, Arduino boards were introduced in Italy as a

solution for individuals much like them who wish to
start building systems more quickly and smoothly
without having to study architecture. You may read
about the lengthy history of Arduino boards here.
Arduino exists only to make it easier for non-techies
to begin creating embedded system hobby projects.

However, millions of individuals, including seasoned

professionals, began adopting the Arduino system
over time because of its open-source nature for very
basic reasons.

✓ It is inexpensive.
✓ Open-source and cost-free
✓ It is possible to prototype quickly.

37
 ✓ Almost all interfaces have a large number of
clean libraries accessible.

However, what exactly is Arduino?

The Arduino board is a functioning microcontroller-
based board. To utilize Arduino, you don't have to
learn about microcontroller architecture. It is
sufficient to be able to read the board and
comprehend simple English to begin programming
an Arduino. You may see a different tutorial I wrote
about it here.

38
 Chapter 5

Embedded systems' purpose.

Embedded systems are designed to manage a
particular task inside a device. Although more
advanced embedded systems are capable of
controlling whole operating systems, they are often
only intended to carry out this task regularly.

Even while some more sophisticated embedded

systems are capable of carrying out several activities,
these are still comparatively easy tasks that don't
demand a lot of computing capacity.
One important feature of embedded systems is that
they are typically not programmable, meaning that
once configured to carry out a certain task, they
function dependably and don't require tampering.
On some embedded systems devices, however, it is
possible to upgrade the software, which allows for the
improvement of programmed capabilities.

The single-purpose architecture and programming of

39
embedded systems make them dependable electronic
components that are very simple to integrate into a
device and require little upkeep. Although they are an
important feature of many devices that require
interaction only to function, such as domestic
appliances, they are also a crucial component of many
systems since they are highly unlikely to malfunction
and do not require reprogramming.

Types of Embedded Systems

Although the majority of these parts have fairly

similar designs and functions, there are several
distinct types of embedded systems with unique
features that call for varying degrees of expertise to
install and develop. Embedded systems that fall into
more than one of these categories are available,
including independent and mobile embedded
systems.

40
Independent Embedded system
Described as autonomous or stand-alone, an
embedded system functions independently and
doesn't need a host system, such as a computer, to do
so. It does not require a connection to any other
network or system to gather input data, process it,
and carry out the necessary operation. Microwaves
and other appliances that measure temperature are
common examples.

Embedded Network System

A machine or device that is linked to a network and
outputs data to other systems is said to be an
embedded network system. They are commonly seen
in home security systems where a smaller device is
needed to carry out a basic task or react to a particular
input, and then it needs to communicate with a
larger, more intricate system that is connected by a
network.

41
Mobile Embedded System
Any embedded system employed in a compact,
portable device is referred to as a mobile embedded
system. They are present in digital cameras, watches,
music players, and cell phones in addition to other
devices. They are typically rather basic and need little
power and memory.

Embedded system software components

Embedded system software is particularly created for

a single type of device, and its goals are much
narrower than those of computer software, which
may be loaded on numerous devices to achieve the
same goal. The embedded systems' software consists
of the following:

Debugging
Lastly, a software tool for testing and debugging is the
42
debugger. It is in charge of going over the code,
eliminating bugs and other mistakes, and
emphasizing the precise places where they happened.
Debuggers enable programmers to quickly fix issues.

Editor for links

Typically, software code is written in short segments
and modules. The component that takes one or more
object files and integrates them to create a single
executable code is called a link editor, or "linker."

Emulator
This part operates the embedded system in a
simulation environment and makes it act like a real-
life system. In short, it helps guarantee optimal
written code performance by simulating software
performance. To get a sense of how the code will run
in real-time, utilize the emulator.

Assembler
This differs slightly from the procedure that a
compiler uses. Written code is translated straight

43
into machine language by the compiler. Conversely,
the assembler translates source code into object code
first, and then object code into machine language.

When an application is built using assembly language

as the programming language, the assembler is
utilized. For additional processing, the assembly
language program is converted to HEX code. The
programmer is used to write the program on the chip
after the code has been written.

Text Editor
The first piece of software required to construct an
embedded system is a text editor. Writing source
code in the C and C++ programming languages is
done with this editor and then saved as a text file.

Compiler
Creating an executable program is the main duty of
this component. The machine needs to comprehend
the code once it has been prepared in the text editor.

44
The compiler assists in this by converting the written
code into low-level machine language. Machine code,
assembly language, and object code are a few
examples of low-level languages.

Applications of Embedded Systems

Several technologies, such as machine-to-machine
(M2M) devices and the Internet of Things (IoT),
depend heavily on embedded systems. These days,
almost all smart devices make use of this adaptable
technology in one way or another.

Here are a few examples of embedded system uses in

the real world:

Self-serve terminals
Interactive self-service kiosks provide consumers
with services and information in settings where it is
impractical for a human employee to be present.
Imagine a ticket office serving patrons of a 2 a.m.
showing at a largely deserted theater. There are many

45
different types of self-service kiosks, such as snack
vending machines and filling stations equipped with
self-checkout systems. Airports, department stores,
healthcare facilities, public buildings, and several
more places have these kiosks. The processing power
needed for these kiosks to give clients an interactive
experience is provided by embedded systems.

Facilities for charging electric vehicles

Electric power is supplied via electric car charging
stations to recharge the batteries of linked electric
automobiles. Among the many tasks performed by
embedded systems in charging stations include
alerting technicians to impending maintenance
needs, automatically highlighting technical concerns,
and providing processing power for visual displays.

Manufacturing
Robots are used in many procedures in factories
today that call for high-precision precision work,
hazardous work environments, or both. Robots used

46
in typical automated tasks must be equipped with
sensors, actuators, and software that enable them to
"perceive" their surroundings and produce the
necessary results effectively and safely. To do this,
robots are outfitted with embedded systems that
connect them to a variety of subsystems.

Without these embedded systems, plant automation

robots would have to rely on external computing and
control systems. Increased safety concerns may result
from connectivity problems or delays in human
response. To make equipment safer, more effective,
and wiser, plant automation systems are integrating
embedded systems with artificial intelligence and
machine learning more and more as Industry 4.0
becomes a reality.

These solutions, for example, enable robots to

automatically detect and eliminate production flaws
before the human eye can notice them. Applications
for factory robots with embedded systems include
quality control and assembly.

47
Automated Teller Machines
Globally employed in the banking industry,
automated teller machines (ATMs) are sizable
computerized electronic devices. An ATM uses a
network connection to communicate with the host
bank computer during a transaction. The information
processed during the transaction is stored by the
bank computer, which also checks the data entered.
Simultaneously, the ATM displays transaction data
from the bank computer and processes user inputs
from the field using embedded devices.

Home Entertainment
Televisions and other entertainment devices are
commonplace in households all around the world.
When it comes to reading inputs from ports like the
antenna, DisplayPort, HDMI, and Ethernet,
embedded systems are essential. In addition, remote
controls send out infrared signals that televisions can
read. Even the operating system on smart televisions
supports streaming media and the internet. These

48
tasks are critical to embedded systems, which are
becoming more and more popular as new methods
for improving the intelligence of home entertainment
are found.

Trackers for Fitness

Fitness trackers are wearable gadgets that track
health indicators and activities including walking,
jogging, and sleeping. They have grown in popularity.
These gadgets use embedded systems to gather
information on body temperature, heart rate, and
number of steps taken. Using a wide area network
(WAN) like LTE or GPRS, this data is sent to servers.

Automated fare collection

Passengers on public transit can pay their fares online
or through automated equipment without speaking
to a human agent thanks to automated fare collection
methods. The ecosystem for automatic transit fare
collection includes ticketing machines, ticket and
card checking machines, automatic gate machines,
and regular travelers' smart and magnetic stripe

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cards. To maintain the mechanism's functionality
and allow them to communicate with one another, all
of these components have embedded systems.
Automotive
In automobile applications, embedded systems
improve user experience and overall safety. Adaptive
speed control, pedestrian detection, auto breakdown
warning, merging assistance, airbag deployment,
anti-lock brake systems, and in-car entertainment
systems are some prominent instances of embedded
systems in operation.

Medical Equipment
Embedded medical devices are state-of-the-art tools
used for patients who need continuous monitoring.
For example, embedded sensors collect health
information from implants, heart rate, and pulse rate.
After that, this data is sent to a private cloud, where
a medical expert can manually review it or an alarm
system can review it automatically.

GPS

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To provide a global navigation system, the global
positioning system (GPS) synchronizes location,
velocity, and time data using satellites and receivers.
GPS systems are frequently seen in cars and portable
electronics. To utilize the global positioning system,
all "receivers" (i.e., devices that receive GPS data) are
integrated with embedded systems.

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 Conclusion
Embedded devices can be found in everything from
printers and routers to EV charging stations,
elevators, and point-of-sale machines. To put it
simply, they are present everywhere in the modern
world. Despite their diminutive size, they are robust,
designed with purpose, and have a quick processing
speed. They propel apps' superior real-time
performance. Moreover, embedded systems are
growing more capable and intelligent, which expands
their use in edge computing, the Internet of Things,
graphics rendering, and other areas.

Embedded systems are tiny computers that are

included in bigger systems to carry out particular
functions like data processing and graphics. They are
extensively utilized in the modern world and have a
big impact on how we go about our daily lives,
including how we pass the time, commute, conduct
business, and enjoy ourselves.

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