Most of the
microprocessors in the world are not in pcs, they are embedded in devices which
control traffic for highways, airspace,
railway tracks, and shipping lanes to manufacturing systems with robots. An
embedded system is any device controlled by instructions stored on a chip.
These devices are usually controlled by a microprocessor that executes the
instructions stored on a read only
memory (ROM) chip. This the topic of my seminar. Embedded systems can be used
to implement features ranging from the way pacemakers operate and mobile phone
that can be worn as jewellery to adaptive cruise control(ACC). In this seminar
I will explain one such technology that
uses the embedded systems- The Adaptive Cruise
Control.
We read in newspapers
that a doctor had successfully transplanted a
cardiac pacemaker in his patient’s chest by sitting around 200kilometres
away. Also we know about driverless cars that could take us to the destiny by using its inbuilt navigation systems.
Embedded microprocessors or micro
controllers are the brain behind these. An embedded system is any device
controlled by instructions stored on a
chip. These devices are usually controlled by a micro processor that executes
the instructions stored on a read only
memory(ROM) chip.
The software for the embedded system is
called firmware. The firmware will be written in assembly language for time or
resource critical operations or using higher level languages like C or embedded
C. The software will be simulated using micro code simulators for the target
processor. Since they are supposed to
perform only specific tasks, these programs are stored in read only
memories(ROMs).Moreover they may need no or minimal inputs from the user,
hence the user interface like monitor,
mouse and large keyboard etc,may be
absent. Embedded systems are
computer systems that monitor, respond to, or control an external environment.
This environment is connected to the computer system through sensors,
actuators, and other input-output interfaces. It may consist of physical or
biological objects of any form and structure. Often humans are part of the
connected external world, but a wide
range of other natural and artificial objects, as well as animals are also
possible.
Embedded systems are also known as real
time systems since they respond to an input or event and produce the result
within a guaranteed time period. This
time period can be few microseconds to days or months. The computer system must
meet various timing and other constraints that are imposed on it by the
real-time behavior of the external world to which it is interfaced. Hence comes
the name real time. Another Name for
many of these systems is reactive systems, because their primary purpose is to
respond to or react to signals from their environment. A real time computer
system may be a component of a larger system in which it is embedded;
reasonably such a computer component is called an embedded system.
Embedded systems control engine
management systems in automobiles, monitor home heating systems and regulate
the quiet operation and the even distribution of laundry in washing machines.
They are the heart of toys like Furby and Tamagotchi, of golf balls that cannot
get lost and of gas pumps at gasoline stations that advertise nearby
restaurants on video. Above all, state-of-the art communications equipment like
WAP mobile telephones, MP3 players, set-top boxes and Net devices would not be
possible without these powerful miniature brains.
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