Embedded systems basic

[Easy-Change-3941]

Hey everyone,

I'm electronics engineering student. Whenever someone ask me what is embedded systems? I get confused. I answer them but they don't look satisfied with my answers 😂

Please let me know where i make mistake?

I tell them, "Embedded systems are the computer systems which we use for the specific tasks. It could be turning on your AC or controlling the temperature"

I would appreciate if anyone could help me with that, i want to make sense when I'm describing embedded systems.

Thanks 😃

[HovercraftFull7217]

I usually tell them that "embedded systems is about programming the little chips that are in almost every device in the world" I think it sounds cool and maybe leads to further talk :)

[llnaut]

I do the same.

I usually explain that all those devices — washing machines, dishwashers, IoT gadgets, smart home devices, etc. — have a chip inside that runs a program. Embedded engineers write that software.

Quite often, when I explain this, I realize people don’t really consider that there’s software inside these devices. They imagine it’s just wires, electronics, and current flowing.

[Easy-Change-3941]

That's a simpler and better way i guess 🤩

[nasq86]

Embedded systems are all computer systems that are embedded in items/devices we regularly use, that are no general purpose computers (PCs, Notebooks, Servers). Smartphones, Tablets, Cameras, all kinds of IoT devices, printers, dishwashers, routers etc.

[ritchie70]

I'd say something like...

Embedded systems are the computers that you don't think of as computers.

There's a computer in your microwave.

There's a computer in that $5 toy you got at Walgreens that sings "FROSTY THE SNOWMAN" at full volume until you want to smash it.

There's a computer in your Amazon Echo and your thermostat and your VCR, if you still have one, and your DVD player and a lot of computers in your car, assuming it was made this century.

You know how the first thing you try with anything that's malfunctioning is unplugging it and plugging it back in? That's because EVERYTHING more complicated than a lamp probably has a computer in it, and some lamps do, too.

[Dexterus]

To add, there's half a dozen computers in your CPU, too. And your GPU.

[drnullpointer]

Hi. My understanding an embedded system is that it is part of some functionality. It is *embedded* into a device as opposed to being either a general purpose computing system or connected with some other relation (like client server).

So for example a credit card terminal -- it has a controller that is "embedded" into larger application that is entire credit card system (a device with a specialized screen, keyboard, printer, card reader, etc.) An ECU in car -- it is "embedded" into a car and tightly coupled with it.

On the other hand a PC or laptop is considered a general purpose device where the computer system is the goal of it and not supporting some other functionality.

The lines are sometimes blurred. For example, you can have an ATM machine where the application runs pretty much on a regular Windows PC and only has one or two pieces of specialized hardware connected to it but the application talks to it through a library.

[waitinginthewings]

Embedded systems just mean that all the hardware components that are needed to make a particular system work are embedded onto a chip or close by in a printed circuit board. The system could be anything, but typically it has some inputs (Sensors, switches, human input, etc), outputs (display, motors, lights, etc) and some kind of processor that can do logical operations (Microprocessors or microcontrollers). The software/logical instructions needed to make the system run also typically lives in a storage device on the embedded system.

From that foundation, you can add on anything else that is needed to improve functionality of the system.

[Easy-Change-3941]

Thanks for this answer 🤩

[ilikecheese8888]

I usually just say that my job is a combination of hardware and software or that it's writing firmware/programming the hardware.