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Embedded systems are usually part of larger and complex systems and are usually
implemented on dedicated hardware with associated software to form a computational
engine that will effi ciently perform a specifi c function. The dedicated hardware
(or embedded processor) with the associated software is embedded into many
applications. Unlike general-purpose computers, which are designed to perform
many general tasks, an embedded system is a specialized computer system that is
usually integrated as part of a larger system. For example, a digital still camera takes
in an image, and the embedded processor inside the camera compresses the image
and stores it in the compact fl ash. In some medical instrument applications, the
embedded processor is programmed to record and process medical data such as
pulse rate and blood pressure and uses this information to control a patient support
system. In MP3 players, the embedded processor is used to process compressed
audio data and decodes them for audio playback. Embedded processors are also
used in many consumer appliances, including cell phones, personal digital assistants
(PDA), portable gaming devices, digital versatile disc (DVD) players, digital camcorders,
fax machines, scanners, and many more.
Among these embedded signal processing-based devices and applications,
digital signal processing (DSP) is becoming a key component for handling signals
such as speech, audio, image, and video in real time. Therefore, many of the latest
hardware-processing units are equipped with embedded processors for real-time
signal processing. |
