Linux Development Platform: Configuring, Using, and Maintaining a Complete Programming Environment, The

8.2. What are Embedded Systems?

There are many definitions of embedded system but all of these can be combined into a single concept. An embedded system is a special-purpose computer system that is used for a particular task. The special computer system is usually less powerful than general-purpose systems, although some exceptions do exist where embedded systems are very powerful and complicated. Usually a low power consumption CPU with a limited amount of memory is used in embedded systems. Many embedded systems use very small operating systems; most of these provide very limited operating system capabilities. However as memory and CPU power is becoming cheap, many modern operating systems are also being used in embedded systems these days. ...