Written By Varii ✨

The Internet of Things (IoT) is predicted to change life as we know it- Smart Cities, Smart Homes, Smart Infrastructure... These are going to be a big part of our life.

To be able to understand how these systems work, we have to start at the basics, the heart of IoT: Embedded Systems.

What is an Embedded System? How is it different from a regular system? By the end of this article, you will be able to answer those questions, and also:

• Why do we use Embedded Systems?
• What are the challenges of developing and testing embedded systems?

Let's dive in-

What is Embedded Computing?

Let's introduce the concept of embedded systems.

Embedded Computing Systems (ECS) or just Embedded Systems are programmable computers, but not intended to be used as a full general-purpose PC. So, your laptop or desktop cannot be classified as an ECS but if your fridge or car has a microprocessor in it, it's an ECS.

A microprocessor is just a single-chip CPU. The first microprocessor was designed by Intel to be used for simple calculations - in a calculator. People then discovered that such a computer-on-a-chip can be reprogrammed, and used for other applications.

There are of course other ways to design digital circuits apart from using Microprocessors, e.g. using Custom Logic Circuits or FPGAs. But microprocessors dominate the industry for a few reasons:

1. The digital design paradox: Using a pre-designed custom processor might not even result in faster processing time than using a mass-produced, cheap, off-the-shelf microprocessor
2. Microprocessors allow a great deal of flexibility in designing product families, adding and dropping features for a different price, etc.
3. Implementing several types of programs/functions on a single processor is as easy as changing the program currently being executed. This also saves a lot of hardware resources than having separate circuits for each function.

<aside> 💡 Microprocessor Uses in Cars

Most cars come with an Antilock Braking System (ABS). ABS controls the brakes during critical moments such as if the car is skidding or hydroplaning.

Most cars also come with the option of Automatic Stability Control (ASC) which controls the throttle, ignition, gear shift, and brake system to improve the car's stability.

Since both these control systems both have access to the car's braking system, they must be able to communicate with each other. To interface these two components, the ASC has a microprocessor to interface with the ABS module, and another microprocessor to interface it with the rest of the electronic components of the car!

In fact, these aren't the only microprocessors used in cars. So your car is a really large embedded system :)

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General Purpose vs. Embedded Systems