10 real life examples of embedded systems (2023)

Embedded systems are at the core of many different intelligent products, machines and processes, such as B. Applications for machine learning and artificial intelligence. With embedded system applications popping up across all industries and sectors today, embedded devices and software play a crucial role in the functioning of cars, home appliances, medical devices, interactive kiosks, and other devices that we use in our daily lives. In this article, we provide examples of embedded systems with explanations to help you understand how this technology impacts all facets of modern life.

during real lifeembedded systemshave become a significant part of our lives, they are designed to work with minimal human intervention. Features like compact size, simple design and low cost make them a useful technology in sectors like aerospace, automotive, healthcare and even smart cities. As such, they are one of the driving forces behind today's digital, connected and automated world. Here are the types and characteristics of embedded systems, as well as some real-world examples of devices running embedded software.

4 types of built-in appliances

Common embedded systems can be classified into four types based on performance and functional requirements:

• realtime
• Be alone
• networked
• mobile phone, mobile phone

realtime

Embedded real-time systems are designed and installed to perform specific tasks within a predefined time limit. They are further divided into two different types:

• Soft Real-Time Embedded Systems: For these systems, task completion is paramount while deadline is not a priority.
• Hard Real-Time Embedded Systems: These systems prioritize deadlines that should not be missed.

Some of the examples of embedded real-time systems are:

• Computer sound system (soft real-time system)
• Aircraft control system (hard real-time system)

Be alone

These are standalone systems that do not rely on a host system, such as a processor or computer, to perform tasks. Here are some examples of standalone embedded technology:

• microwaves
• washing machines for clothes
• video game consoles

networked

These systems connect to a wired or wireless network to perform assigned tasks and provide output to connected devices. They consist of components such as controllers and sensors. Here are some examples of built-in networking software:

• ATMs
• Haussicherheitssysteme
• card swipe machines

mobile phone, mobile phone

These systems are smaller and easy to use. Though they come with limited storage, people prefer them for their portability and practicality. Here are some examples of mobile embedded control systems:

• digital cameras
• cell phones
• Smartwatch
• Fitness-Tracker

Characteristics of embedded computer systems

Key features of typical embedded systems include:

1. Small Form Factor (SFF):These are PCB designs packed with robust processing power into smaller, rugged packages, maximizing space efficiency.
2. Energy efficient components:These are processors with a thermal design and lower power that minimize cooling and eliminate the need for fans and moving components.
3. Unique feature:These systems are designed to perform a specific operation during their lifetime.
4. Lowest cost:Because they lack expansion slots for peripherals, embedded systems are generally less expensive than full-featured computers and have lower component complexity.

If you are not familiarEmbedded systems terminologyor concepts and want to learn more, we have many resources available. See related content at the bottom of this page as well as oursresources,solution pageseVideos.

10 examples of embedded systems

There are many things with embedded systems embedded in the Internet of Things (IoT) as well as Machine-to-Machine (M2M) devices. Exceptionally versatile and adaptable embedded systems can be found in every smart device today. It's hard to find a single part of modern life that doesn't involve this technology. Here are some of the real examples of embedded system applications.

• central heating systems
• GPS systems
• Fitness-Tracker
• Medical equipment
• Automotive systems
• traffic and fare collection
• ATMs
• Factory robots
• Charging stations for electric vehicles
• interactive kiosks

1. Central heating systems

Central heating systems convert chemical energy into thermal energy in a boiler room and convert that energy into heat, which is then distributed to various rooms within a building. It is important that these systems have thermostat controls to adjust the temperature, which is done through an embedded system.

When a central heating system is not equipped with temperature controls, it can result in one room overheating while another room stays cold. With the right thermostat control, you can adjust the temperature to a comfortable level and save a lot of energy.

Examples of built-in central heating systems can be found in a variety of buildings that require temperature control, both for comfort and to manage temperature-sensitive equipment.

Examples include:

• office building
• The factory
• Super Market
• Houses
• schools
• hospitals

2. GPS systems

GPS is a navigation system that uses satellites and receivers to synchronize data related to location, time, and speed. The receiver or the device receiving the data has an integrated embedded system to facilitate the application of a global positioning system. Built-in GPS devices allow users to easily find their current locations and destinations. Hence, they are quickly gaining traction and becoming the most used car navigation tools.

Today GPS systems are commonly used in:

• Autos
• mobile devices
• Palmtop

3. Fitness-Tracker

Fitness trackers are wearable devices that can monitor your health and track activities like sleeping, running, and walking. These devices use built-in systems to collect data on your heart rate, body temperature and number of steps, which is sent to servers over WAN such as LTE or GPRS.

Fitness trackers are generally used for:

• Personal activity monitoring
• medical aftercare
• athletic training

4. Medical Devices

Medical devices in healthcare facilities have been integrating embedded systems for some time. A new class of medical devices uses integrated systems to treat patients who require frequent monitoring and constant care at home. These systems are equipped with sensors to collect health-related patient data, such as heart rate, heart rate, or implant readings, which are sent to a cloud where a doctor can review the patient data on their wireless device. Medical devices are widely used to diagnose and treat patients efficiently, and some of their examples are:

• pacemaker
• Defibrillator
• Ultraschallscanner

5. Automotive systems

Embedded systems for automobiles are developed and installed in order to increase the safety of automobiles. Thanks to in-vehicle safety systems, the number of road deaths has fallen dramatically in recent years. The automotive industry goes above and beyond to enhance cars with advanced technology systems and sensors, which is not possible without embedded systems.

Some outstanding examples of an active safety system are adaptive cruise control, vehicle breakdown warning, pedestrian detection, threading assistance, airbags and more. These are some of the features planned to reduce the risk of accidents and drive demand for embedded systems around the world.

Some other examples of automotive embedded systems are:

• car navigation system
• Antiblockiersystem
• Entertainment system for vehicles

6. Traffic and tariff survey

Automated Fare Collection (AFC) is a ticketing system that allows passengers to pay for fares through ticket machines or online services. These systems have their origins in coins and tokens, but have been replaced by magnetic stripe cards or smart cards. An AFC is a base station device that includes a ticket vending machine, an automatic gate machine, and a ticket checking machine. These components are integrated systems that ensure faster transactions, smoother operations, and more efficient payment capture.

While city buses and commuter trains still use paper tickets and passes, urban transit systems have adopted AFC with smart cards, which are low-cost technologies that provide additional security alongside data collection options.

Automated fare collection systems are typically found in:

• subway stations
• Bus stop
• train stations

If you're looking for examples of embedded processors in the transportation industry, check out some of our customers' stories and let us know howDigi integrated systems in modulesare designed for transit and vehicle applications:

• EM-Test
• transdata

7. ATMs

An automatic teller machine (ATM) is a computerized machine used in the banking industry that communicates with a bank's host computer over a network. The bank's computer verifies all user-entered data and stores all transactions, while the ATM's onboard system displays transaction data and processes input from the ATM's keypad.

An ATM is mainly used for:

• withdraw money
• Check the account balance and transaction details
• Deposit money into another account

8. Factory robots

Factory robots are designed to perform high-precision tasks in hazardous working conditions. They have an integrated embedded system to connect different subsystems. In a typical mechanical job, robots use actuators, sensors and software to sense the environment and safely obtain the intended output.

Without an embedded system, robots would have to rely on external control or computer systems. This in turn can increase security risks due to delays or errors in the connection between the factory robot and its external computer system. today, howIndustry 4.0When it comes to play, these systems integrate artificial intelligence and machine learning to make equipment smarter, safer, and more efficient — for example, by allowing machines to spot flaws that the human eye would not see and turn them off to remove from production.

Factory robots have a variety of applications:

• assembly line
• quality monitoring
• welding
• Quadro
• palletizing

9. Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

Electric vehicle charging stations are equipped with charging points or units that provide electrical energy for charging connected vehicles. A built-in system resides in the charging station to process graphical displays, report problems with the unit, and alert technicians when service is required. This integrated solution offers a simple, cost-effective approach to monitoring and maintaining your charging infrastructure. Several Digi customers, such asadd energy, develop solutions to serve this growing market.

Some of the most common uses of EV charging stations are:

• load vehicles
• battery change
• Park vehicle

10. Interactive kiosks

Self-service kiosks are designed to provide services and information to end users in environments where human presence is not possible or cost effective. For example, these machines and terminals allow a passenger in an empty airport to buy a meal at 4am without interacting with human workers. definition graphic. For this reason, it is important for embedded developers to be able to work with a scalable product line such asSystem on Modules (SOMs) Digi ConnectCore® 8X/8Mthat support the development of product lines with scalable feature sets.

An embedded system provides processing for connected self-service kiosk machines and offers an interactive customer experience. These systems can be designed to work outdoors and in remote environments, providing information and services even in extreme weather conditions. They can also eliminate downtime for real-time applications and have scalable I/O options designed for workload consolidation.

In addition to airports, interactive kiosks can be found primarily in:

• Retail and convenience store websites
• hospitals
• cinemas
• government building

The importance of embedded systems

The importance of embedded systems in everyday life is often questioned. These small computers are integrated into various systems to perform specific imaging and data processing tasks, and therefore have a significant impact on the way we travel, spend our free time, conduct business and carry out various other daily activities.

Still wondering where to find embedded systems? Whether you work in a restaurant, office, doctor's office, factory, or other environment, your workspace is full of systems equipped with embedded devices such as elevators, printers, routers, and POS systems. In short, they are everywhere in our society - from vehicles and electric vehicle charging stations to vending machines, lottery ticket systems and digital signage to sophisticated medical devices.

Here are some of the reasons why embedded systems are gaining ground around the world:

• They are small, fast and powerful computers that are used in many devices and devices that we use every day.
• They ensure real-time application performance.
• You are responsible for completing a task within a certain time limit, e.g. B. Fast graphics processing and artificial intelligence processing.

In addition, embedded modules are becoming more sophisticated and powerful, and their graphics performance and high-end computing capabilities are increasing, giving embedded designers the tools to bring high-performance off-the-shelf products to market.

Find your embedded system solutions with Digi

Embedded systems are so important that without them the world would be very different than it is today. Thanks to continuous technological advances, they will become increasingly important for all devices in the foreseeable future. When you understand why we use embedded systems and countless examples of where they are installed, you will be better equipped to perceive the technological world around you and take advantage of this exciting technology.

At Digi, we take embedded systems and development tools to the next level. Our embedded systems are complete solutions for wireless application development with developer tools and built-in security. Learn more about ourembedded system solutionsecontact usto start a conversation.

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