What is Embedded Engineering?
Embedded engineering uses software engineering to control devices and machines (such as mobile phones, microwaves, airbag systems and biomedical devices) that differ from traditional computers. The integration of software engineering with these devices allows them to the develop embedded systems comprised of programming tools, microprocessors, and operating systems. The impacts of this are felt in real time operations related to medical and manufacturing science, consumer electronics and automotive technology, among others. This is where the embedded software engineer comes in. As a result of the growing movement to connect every device to the internet and expand the internet of things (IoT), as technologies evolve and increase in complexity, so has the demand for embedded application engineers.
The demand for a variety of IoT devices and device drivers in embedded engineering has made the challenge of finding software engineers qualified to do this work increasingly difficult. Instead of investing in training, organizations are now looking to embedded software developers with years of experience in Windows programming languages, as well as knowledge of embedded applications related to mobile devices.
To compensate for their lack of low-level hardware interactions and experience, manufacturers are providing developers with higher-level software frameworks and tools. These tools make it easier for embedded software developers to write applications at a higher level, without understanding low-level software to meet real time operating system requirements. Since embedded software involves an understanding of the electronic componentry behind embedded devices, developers are also called on to work in the capacity of electrical engineers.
Today, engineers involved in the advancement of integrated circuit design and embedded systems are pushing the boundaries of computer science in architectural and circuit innovation. This results in new applications with the performance, energy and power efficiency requirements needed to power state-of-the-art biomedical applications, among others.
Embedded engineering positively impacts real time operations in a variety of settings to connect with the internet of things.
- Solves real-world problems.Embedded engineering brings with it a host of micro-level smart solutions, from diagnosing medical conditions to improving cell phone communications, managing neighborhood traffic, or impacting automated systems critical to manufacturing processes, streamlining processes to save organizations time and money.
- Creates easily manageable systems. Because embedded systems generally perform a single task, the elements of any embedded system are inexpensive, durable and require less maintenance, and do not require additional memory or added storage space, making them much easier to house them.
- Improves overall performance of dedicated tasks. Embedded engineering focuses on creating embedded tasks, those that perform one task at a time, which collectively can result in greater efficiencies in any number of business operations. Smart farm automation, for example, employs sensors throughout the farming process to perform individual tasks in concert, to assess soil conditions, weather impacts, light levels, irrigation and more.
- Relies on simple operating systems. An embedded system with a singular role or task to perform using simple assembly language does not rely on much in the way of change. With less requirements, these systems can run on older or less complex operating systems that need little or no updating.