Embedded System

A small computer system built into a device to handle one specific control task.

An embedded system is a computer hidden inside a piece of equipment, dedicated to a specific function, built from a processor (a microcontroller unit, or MCU, or a system on chip, or SoC), memory, peripheral interfaces, and the firmware or lightweight operating system running on top. Compared with a general-purpose computer, it's optimized for small size, low power draw, low cost, and predictable response time. Embedded systems are everywhere in a robot: the MCU inside a motor driver runs the current control loop, sensor boards handle data acquisition and packaging, and dexterous hands and battery management systems each have their own onboard controller; even a higher-level compute module like a Jetson is often classified as an embedded platform. Working on robots means dealing with embedded systems directly — flashing firmware, configuring communication protocols, and handling real-time constraints.

ExampleThe STM32 inside a joint driver runs the current control loop at tens of kilohertz, then receives commands from the host computer over CAN or EtherCAT.

Related

Microcontroller Unit · System on Chip · Firmware · Real-Time Operating System · STMicroelectronics STM32 MCU Family · Lower-level Controller (Slave Computer)

Sources

Embedded system - Wikipedia