Embedded System : Platforms and Operating System

Embedded System is an electronic calculator or computer that is used in a variety of applications and devices which are specially adapted to do a task. Embedded System are used for monitoring or control of functions either singly or with a full fledged computer.

Details of Embedded System

Embedded systems are mostly invisible to the user, in a variety of applications and devices, such as in health-care devices, washing machines, airplanes, automobiles, refrigerators, televisions, DVD players, set top boxes ,mobile phones a kind or the other Embedded System is used.

Often embedded systems are specially adapted to the task. For cost reasons, an optimized, mixed hardware-software implementation is done on Embedded System. Embedded System brings the flexibility of software with the performance of hardware. The software is used both to control the Embedded System itself and possibly the interaction of the system with the outside world via defined interfaces and protocols.

Embedded system may vary widely in hardware. Typically, they are made for minimal costs, less space, less power and memory consumption. Individual components of a Embedded System such as processors and memory are often based on further developments of older components, which facilitates long-term usability.

Hardware and Software part of Embedded System

In many cases, Embedded System uses an older processor architecture for lowering costs. Embedded System mostly come without a hard drive, often without an operating system, keyboard or monitor. A ROM or flash memory chip replaces mechanical components such as a hard disk.

Highly specialized operating systems or special Desktop Version of OS is used in a typical Embedded System. In many cases, like in case of a car, a single Embedded System can perform dual or more special functions to reduce the cost, to minimize the space occupied and most importantly to reduce the burden of cables and power consumption.