Table of Contents
Embedded systems, combining hardware and software for specialized control functions, are integral to modern technological infrastructure. As we increasingly depend on networked, intelligent systems everywhere, over 30 billion embedded devices already enhance our world today with more to come. But this revolution did not happen overnight!
I will guide you through key milestones across six decades that set the stage for the pervasive embedded era we now live in. Come learn about the fascinating history…
The First Guidance Computers: 1950s to 1966
The Apollo Guidance Computer: Launching Autonomous Space Navigation
While earlier fire control systems used analog computations, the first recognizable embedded system with integrated circuits and custom software was developed in the 1950s. The MIT Instrumentation Lab built this pioneering project – the Apollo Guidance Computer (AGC) – to navigate and guide spacecraft autonomously for NASA‘s Gemini and Apollo programs.
Using only 2,000 words of memory and 74 Kb of storage, the AGC could execute 12,000 instructions per second – adequate for the job! This system also needed to withstand vibrations during launch and the space vacuum. The APOLLO missions requirement to land on the Moon with no room for navigational error depended on this computer’s flawless functioning.
Delivered in 1966, five years before the Moon landing, the AGC set the stage for autonomous navigation systems that are now routine across aerospace.
Hardened Defense Computers: Guiding the First Intercontinental Missiles
Alongside the AGC, early defense projects also advanced rugged embedded computers – like the D-17B system by Autonetics. It was built for the inertial guidance platform of the Minuteman I missile, which had intercontinental range. This reactive real-time system was hardened to withstand stressing missile launch environments and radiation while meeting demanding reliability requirements.
The D-17B was successfully tested in 1962 and played a key role in establishing embedded systems for critical defense infrastructure applications in the decades that followed.
Microcontrollers & RTOS: Enabling Complex Programs
Invention of Microcontrollers – First Single-Chip Systems
A major turning point that fueled intense embedded systems research was the invention of the first single-chip microcontroller in 1971. Engineers Gary Boone and Michael Cochran at Texas Instruments integrated key components like the CPU, memory, clocks and input/output systems onto one chip.
This combination of embedded hardware and software dramatically increased functionality compared to using separate integrated circuits – while also improving performance, reliability and energy efficiency. The power of microcontrollers to run small dedicated programs with hardware resource constraints made them ideal for economical control applications.
Intel, Motorola, NEC, Zilog and other semiconductor giants accelerated microcontroller R&D through the 1970s. Early models like Intel‘s 8048 and 8051 became popular, managing keyboards, appliances, toys, automotive systems and industrial machines.
RTOS Development: Enabling Complex Real-Time Applications
Another pivotal innovation was early real-time operating system (RTOS) development to schedule tasks and manage resources for time-critical embedded software. These RTOS needed to reliably handle processing deadlines for reactive applications.
VxWorks, created by Wind River Systems in 1987, became the first widely adopted commercial RTOS. It could process interrupts in microseconds, dynamically allocating memory while prioritizing critical tasks – perfect for complex aerospace systems. VxWorks powered the Mars Pathfinder and Mars Exploration Rovers, Galileo space probe, F-35 fighter jet and Boeing 787 aircraft over the following decades.
The Frantic 1990s Embedded Boom
Standardizing Languages, Tools and OS for Connected Devices
By the 1990s, the field was primed for massive expansion with standardized development in C and C++, compilers, RTOS and networked communications software. Beyond aerospace and defense, a wave of internet-connected embedded products emerged.
The first web server and browser software for embedded devices was created by EIT in 1994. The Palm Pilot arrived in 1996 as one of the first mainstream portable digital assistants using Linux. Windows CE followed for industrial devices as did QNX for medical equipment. Improving tools and OS fueled rapid growth.
Automotive: The Killer Embedded Application
As costs fell sharply, automotive embedded systems saw explosive demand growth through the 90s. Extended functionality required more processors integrated through the Controller Area Network (CAN) protocol.
By 2010, over 100 networked microcontroller units operated in luxury cars managing engine control, safety systems, dashboard and infotainment, automatic parking, environmental controls, gearboxes, lighting, ignition systems and more! Software content surged from just 4% of 1990s vehicle costs to almost 40% of costs by 2010.
Saving Lives: Embedded Safety Systems
Embedded software also became indispensable for vehicle safety by the 2000s. Following early traction in Europe, electronic stability control (ESC) used onboard gyroscopic sensors and ABS to detect skidding and brake individual wheels to recover control.
Studies found ESC dramatically reduced accidents – up to 50% for SUV rollovers! This led to it being mandated across Europe by 2011 and North America by 2012. Parallel advances in automatic braking, lane departure warnings, adaptive cruise control systems laid the groundwork for today‘s autonomous vehicle initiatives.
Smarter Systems: Embedded AI Arrives 2010-Today
Billions of Connected Embedded Devices
By 2019, over 9 billion microcontrollers shipped globally as embedded devices proliferated. As per Gartner, there are now over 14 billion connected things used in homes, vehicles, public spaces and industrial environments – with over 30 billion estimated by 2025.
WiFi, Bluetooth and cellular connectivity have enabled endless smart consumer gadgets alongside industrial IoT equipment with sensors, data logging and remote asset management. With cloud analytics limited by connectivity costs however, over 80% of embedded systems perform sensor processing and AI inferencing locally on the device instead.
Embedded AI: Pushing Boundaries in Autos, Medicine, Drones, Cities
Onboard neural networks now empower autonomous navigation and situational awareness. The Nvidia Drive platform enables level 2+ autonomy in vehicles like Mercedes S-class and Audi A8. AI accelerators embed in drones for package delivery, agriculture surveyance and search operations.
In medicine, diabetic retinopathy diagnosis algorithms run on hospital ECG hardware while portable MRI leverages embedded AI. Wearables track health stats and can detect falls in elderly. Smart meters, lighting systems and infrastructure components enable hyper-efficient future cities.
The Future: RISC-V, Improving Tools and a $300B Market
Embedded systems revenue reached $140 billion in 2013. But with rising demand this is estimated to reach over $300 billion by 2025 according to BCC Research! Advances like open RISC-V architectures, model based design tools and security solutions will unlock embedded intelligence at an unprecedented scale.
We’ve come a long way from the Apollo Guidance Computer nearly 60 years ago! As embedded technology capabilities continue improving while costs decrease, these systems will increasingly drive automation across a hyperconnected world. Exciting times are ahead in this industry full of possibilities!
I hope you enjoyed traversing this innovation journey across six decades of embedded systems. Let me know which milestones fascinated you the most!