Embedded system design refers to the integration of electronic components within broader mechanical or electrical assemblies — but what can it do for you? Here's how embedded systems can help your final product.
Embedded systems can be found in almost every application, from washing machine displays to the sensors on wearable devices. That's because many electronics don't come exclusively on their own but are part of a larger machine design — and the machines they power are everywhere.
Because they're integrated into broader machine assemblies, electronic embedded systems must be designed with special considerations in mind. Embedded system design requires engineers to think about how their subsystem will fit into the product's performance as a whole while still ensuring that the subsystem's specialized function works as intended.
The result of such an end-to-end design approach is that embedded systems can seamlessly interface with other product subsystems and the outside environment. Other benefits include greater energy efficiency, improved reliability and usability, and a longer device lifetime, to name a few.
To show you exactly what embedded design is, we've put together an overview of the techniques used in this field. We'll also discuss how integrated systems can take your device to the next level and how you can take advantage of them.
Embedded System Design Explained
While some electronics, like a PC, are designed for stand-alone use, others are integrated (or embedded) into a larger device or application. These embedded systems can vary greatly in complexity and usually perform a specialized function within the larger system. For example, an embedded system may have a microprocessor for counting steps on an electronic wearable, or it may feature a display that allows users to interact with the machine, like the real-time operating system display on an industrial robot.
Their versatility means that embedded systems may have relatively few or many components, including:
- A processor
- Sensors
- A digital-to-analog converter
- Input-Output interface(s)
- Graphical user interfaces
- Device drives
- Firmware
- Software
- Memories (volatile or nonvolatile)
A good deal of programming knowledge is also a must in embedded systems design, as all firmware must contain clear, correct, concise coding if the microprocessor's function unit is to perform as required. That means development skills and fundamental knowledge of logic design, electronics design tools, and low-level programming languages like C or C++ are essential for quality embedded design.
How the Embedded System Design Process Is Superior to Others
Electronic embedded systems function within the broader context of an electromechanical assembly, so they often possess several unique design requirements. Some of them are:
- Complexity. Embedded systems can have varying degrees of complexity, and engineers must take these into account. For example, some robotics controllers may feature GUIs for user interaction and sensors to process external conditions, while toys or other consumer electronics may only require a microprocessor to dictate the speed of a motor.
- Specialization. Stand-alone electronic components must often carry out multiple functions, but the electronics within embedded systems need to perform only specific calculations. Rather than engineering electronics that do multiple things adequately, embedded systems designers create components that specialize in their limited tasks.
- Reliability. The higher degree of specialization and limited functionality means embedded systems are typically more reliable than their stand-alone counterparts. With fewer computations to conduct, embedded systems must have fewer errors too.
- Environment. Some embedded systems, like those found in household appliances, may be built to withstand indoor conditions only, while those in industrial automation must be able to endure harsher environments.
By accounting for these requirements, products with embedded system designs frequently offer several benefits over stand-alone devices. Energy efficiency, ease of maintenance, and a compact size are three of these — though several others exist.
Includes Energy Efficiency Processors
Because they must perform only specialized, limited computations, the microprocessors in embedded systems have lower power requirements. This gives them superior energy efficiency over microprocessors that must fulfill multiple functions. Some of the benefits that come with improved energy efficiency are:
- Reduced power consumption
- Less heat output
- Longer battery life
- Greater device lifetime
Greater energy efficiency makes for a longer-lasting, more environmentally-friendly device.
Embedded System Design is Easy To Manage and Maintain
Their specialized, relatively restricted functionality not only makes embedded systems less energy-intensive; it makes them simpler too. Embedded systems are particularly useful within IoT devices like sensors and environmental controls that repeatedly perform simple tasks.
For example, some IoT sensors may only transmit temperature or humidity data to a network, so a machine's operating conditions may be programmed accordingly. The circuit boards and microcontrollers embedded into such IoT devices are only concerned with detecting and sending a specific data input (temperature and humidity) to the desired network, so other computational abilities aren't needed. By focusing on a single, specialized operation within a machine's design, embedded systems maintain their simplicity, making them easier to maintain.
Small Size Can Fit Any Electronic Device
This simplicity makes many embedded systems small enough to fit into the smallest electronic devices. Sensors that detect heart rate or steps taken on electronic wearables are some examples, while others may include surgically implanted medical devices. These embedded systems all have a specialized, limited scope of functionality, which allows them to be compact enough to operate when space is at a premium.
The Endless Applications for Hardware Designers
The efficiency and versatility of embedded systems mean that they can be found in almost any application or device. Some of the most common examples are:
- Consumer electronics (Smartphones, electronic wearables, etc.)
- Factory machines
- Home appliances
- Vehicles and aircrafts
- IoT devices
- Cellular modems
Other use cases include smart city design characterized by a continuous network of 5G internet and embedded system connectivity and autonomous vehicles whose built-in sensors help make educated driving decisions in real time. Embedded systems empower everything from the most basic applications within your washer and dryer to the cities and cars of the future.
Upgrade Your Technology With Embedded Software Engineering
From consumer electronics to medical devices to the most futuristic tech applications, embedded systems design helps engineers create electronic devices that can withstand their environments. Novotech carries a wide range of embedded system products for a host of applications, and we've got the engineering expertise to help you implement them into your existing network. Contact us today, and integrate our embedded systems into yours.