Trends and Challenges in the Field of Embedded Systems

The size of the embedded system market is growing. From healthcare to the automotive industry and beyond, embedded systems form the backbone of modern technologies. This blog covers the transformational trends and the most connected challenges that mark the modern landscape of embedded solutions.

Investigating New Breakthroughs in Embedded Technology

The embedded systems arena is changing quickly with the help of new technologies and changes in the market. Let us examine the most important aspects emerging in the sector:

1. IoT Controlled Through Embedded Technology: A crucial aspect of embedded systems is the integration of them to drive the Internet of Things (IoT), which is filled with connected devices. Embedded systems are the backbone of IoT, getting, processing, and sending out data from sensors to different applications. Embedded solutions enabled with IoTs are moving towards embedded platforms for smart homes, industrial automation, and much more.

2. AI Impacting the Field: Embedded systems’ application in artificial intelligence (AI) is phenomenal, and so is the growth of embedded systems. AI can be a value add-on on embedded solutions, making them dynamic and predictive. An example is an AI-based wearable device where the embedded software can modify the feature set depending on the user behavior. This merger is quite useful in areas such as self-driving cars and intelligent robot arms.

3. Constant Drive for More Efficiency and Lower Consumption: Embedded systems are becoming increasingly powerful as the requirement for efficiency in the applications rises. The healthcare and automotive industries are the early adopters of this trend. RTOS and high-performance embedded system design enable the processing of information in real-time for certain missions, like self-driving car navigation or emergency medicine systems.

4. Capitalising on the Power of the Cloud: Cloud computing has evolved to be a pillar in the structure of embedded systems. The embedded devices, by having the data computation and storage moved onto the cloud, can be made to scale to great heights. For example, a framework aimed at the industrial Internet of Things processes data streams on the cloud to perform predictive maintenance and better resource usage.

5. The Role of 5G in Advanced Embedded Systems: 5G network deployment has brought about new capabilities in embedded systems. From this unique feature set, low-bandwidth satellite communications become a practical possibility for measuring drug pumps, sensor data, and commands to ID patients for digitally augmented reality surgeons and vector mission drones.

6. Edge Computing: Bringing Computation Closer Edge computing enables low-latency interaction between data and devices that are not connected to a main processing server. Embedded systems are part of this topology where they are the edge devices that enable edge computing and achieve sub-systems functional goals active in the context of a mission or event. Real-life applications such as autonomous vehicles, smart factories, and monitoring of critical infrastructure turn to edge-embedded systems to literally have a great edge over performance and efficiency.

7. The Use of Edge Computing in Machine Learning Technologies: The direct integration of machine learning (ML) into devices and equipment has been pivotal in the improvement of real-time aspects without much dependence on external units. The application of embedded ML, which ranges from language processing in electronic devices to image detection in aerial vehicles, has revolutionised device intelligence.

Challenges Facing Embedded Systems

The potential of embedded systems is enormous; however, several barriers might impede the realisation of this potential. Below are the most worrying issues that continue to trouble the developers:

1. The Fading Away Problem: Embedded machine design is complex owing to the integration of hardware and software systems. For most of the projects that an embedded systems engineer designs, there is consideration of how the design would be implemented in practice. This means that a lot of expertise is needed in embedded SW architecture and integration for performance.
2. Protecting the Information: Security is of paramount importance and therefore a must-have as the embedded systems are being used in projects. On top of firmware and data breaches, embedded IT solutions have always been ready for multiple threats even under limited resource availability.
3. The Cost Revenue Ratio Sensitivity: Most of the companies that focus on embedded systems solutions have to rake in giant expenditures. Advanced designing in hardware, PCB layout designing, and even the firmware development services tend to be costly. Striking a balance between quality and cost efficiency remains a challenge.
4. Striving to Reduce Power Budget: Embedded systems, and especially the ones used in portable or remote operations, have stringent power constraints. In order to meet that goal, advanced embedded hardware implementation and firmware modification techniques are needed to improve the device’s lifetime without degrading performance.
5. Coping with International Standardisation: The lack of global criteria for embedded requirements has adverse effects on the construction process. This absence of certain standards results in complications in the interconnectivity and expansibility of various applications in use.
6. Having a Sound Approach to Quality Control: The embedded software tests and the system validation are critical items in terms of reliability assurance. However, testing in this case becomes more and more expensive with the increase in the sophistication of today’s applications, including RTOS solutions and multithreaded embedded systems.

Moving Past Adversities

There are certain barriers being faced by the embedded systems industry; however, the latest trends are being adapted to steer past these hurdles while more keep emerging:

• Using Modular Designing: Modular approaches reduce the complexity, thereby permitting the designers to build up expandable and serviceable systems.
• Augmenting Security Efforts: Advanced encryption, secure boot, and periodic inspection of embedded firmware provide a high level of security.
• Supporting Energy Efficiency: The aid of adapting the target voltage, using sleeping features, and implementing proper firmware development services results in energy efficiency.
• Towards the Creation of Common Standards: International proceedings are taking place with the aim of developing common standards for easier inclusion and broader use.
• Utilising New Technologies: Newer technologies in the design of PCBs and in embedded software testing improve the design cycle and expand the allowance of development in time.

The Road Ahead

Embedded systems will change the way entire industries operate and what can be done from an engineering standpoint. Possible use cases range from self-driving cars to smart cities. The more embedded IT solutions there are on the market, the greater the demand is for embedded systems developers and new designs integrators.

Epsum Labs Pvt Ltd. provides custom embedded solutions for different industries with cutting edge embedded systems development because they focus on what the future needs—more integrated, secure, scalable, and intelligent solutions.

Content Source: https://blog.epsumlabs.com/trends-and-challenges-embedded-systems/