Emerging Trends in Embedded Systems: What You Need to Know

The embedded systems market has evolved significantly in recent years, driven by technological advancements and the expanding range of industries it serves. The emergence of the IoT (Internet of Things) and (IIoT (Industrial IoT) has further propelled the growth of embedded systems, enabling the development of smart and interconnected ecosystems. The market for embedded systems is experiencing rapid expansion due to the escalating reliance on digital devices.  By 2027, the global embedded system market is projected to reach an estimated value of USD 127.50 billion. This growth is driven by many industries, products, and services that increasingly depend on embedded systems for their operations.

The rapid evolution of embedded system technology has given rise to several emerging trends in embedded systems poised to drive future technologies. These trends are reshaping the face of technology and are expected to have a profound impact in the coming years. To gain a deeper understanding of these emerging trends, let us delve further into the specific technologies that will be influenced by embedded system technology.

The Current Trends in Embedded Systems

Technological advancements are rapidly accelerating, leading to the development of devices with unique qualities that cater to various categories and fields. Embedded systems, with their application-oriented approach and focus on advanced development areas, are poised to gain popularity. As a result, it is essential to explore the recent trends in embedded systems.

• Wireless Technology

The primary objective behind developing wireless embedded software solutions is to facilitate information's seamless transmission and reception. Wireless embedded systems are crucial in environments where physical connections are impractical, making them indispensable for IoT peripheral devices and interconnected devices. The scope of embedded wireless systems has expanded significantly thanks to the advancements in wireless technologies like Bluetooth, Z-Wave, ZigBee, and Wi-Fi.

Wireless embedded software solutions are designed to enable efficient communication and data transfer between devices without cumbersome cables or wires. This wireless connectivity enhances flexibility, scalability, and mobility in various applications. Whether in wearable devices, industrial automation, smart homes, healthcare monitoring, or wireless embedded systems provide the backbone for seamless connectivity and real-time data exchange.

• SoC (System-on-Chip) Solutions

SoC (System-on-Chip) solutions have emerged as a prominent trend in embedded system technology. Numerous companies are now offering embedded devices based on SoC solutions, which leverage the integration of various components onto a single chip. The market demand for analog and mixed-signal integrated circuits (ICs) has grown substantially in this context. 

Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) have gained popularity as they offer exceptional performance, compact size, cost-effectiveness, and intellectual property (IP) protection. These features make ASICs highly suitable for specific application systems considering their weight, size, and power performance requirements.

• Automation

Automation has become a pervasive aspect of modern systems across various industries. The growth and advancement of technologies such as computers, robots, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning have contributed to the increasing level of automation in different domains. Embedded devices play a crucial role in enabling connectivity and facilitating the integration of multiple storage components, thereby promoting rapid cognitive processing.

Embedded devices can seamlessly connect with cloud technology, which provides a significant boost to device capabilities. This connectivity enables devices to harness the power of cloud-based resources, such as storage, computational power, and advanced algorithms. As a result, devices can rapidly expand their cognitive processing capabilities, leading to improved performance and efficiency.

• Low Power Consumption

Developers face significant challenges in optimizing battery-powered devices for minimal power consumption and extended operation times. Numerous technologies, modules, and design techniques are being developed to monitor and reduce energy usage in embedded devices. These advancements include Wi-Fi modules and enhanced Bluetooth technologies, which aim to minimize power consumption at the hardware level.

Wi-Fi modules have undergone advancements to improve their energy efficiency. These modules are now designed to consume less power during both active and idle states, allowing battery-powered devices to operate longer without frequent recharging. This development is particularly beneficial for applications that rely on wireless connectivity, such as industrial monitoring solutions, IoT devices, and smart home systems.

Enhanced Bluetooth technologies like Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) optimize power consumption in embedded systems. BLE consumes less power than traditional Bluetooth, making it ideal for battery-powered devices like wearables, health monitors, and smart sensors. By leveraging the power efficiency of BLE, developers can extend the battery life of these devices without sacrificing functionality.

• Implementation of Cybersecurity Layers

Embedded systems are often susceptible to cyber-attacks and security breaches, making them attractive targets for hackers due to the valuable core processing and operational data they hold. While conventional security measures like passwords and encryption methods such as SSL (Secure Socket Layer) or SSH (Secure Shell) provide a level of protection, there remains a need for more sophisticated cybersecurity solutions to address the vulnerabilities in embedded systems.

Fortunately, the cybersecurity industry has responded to this challenge by developing IoT security platforms and solutions. These advanced tools offer more robust mechanisms to protect embedded systems from malicious attacks. They leverage cutting-edge technologies to provide faster and more potent cybersecurity measures, ensuring the integrity and confidentiality of embedded systems.

PKI (Public Key Infrastructure) is a unique approach to embedded security that enhances communication security between trusted parties. It utilizes robust asymmetric cryptography mechanisms with public and private key pairs to encrypt data, authenticate devices, and establish secure connections. Implementing PKI in embedded systems brings benefits such as reliable access control, data interception, secure communication, and data tampering prevention. It also enables device verification and authentication, protecting against unauthorized access.

• DevOps in Embedded Systems

Traditionally, embedded system development has had limited exposure to Agile adoption and the utility of DevOps practices. However, the landscape is rapidly evolving as embedded developers recognize the value of embracing Agile methodologies and incorporating DevOps principles into their workflows. They are now actively maintaining records to consolidate their embedded toolchain and automating the build process using CI/CD (Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment) practices.

The embedded community can reap numerous benefits by adopting Agile practices and integrating DevOps into embedded system development. One significant advantage is the reduction of complexity in the development process. Agile methodologies emphasize iterative development and frequent feedback, enabling developers to tackle complex challenges incrementally and refine their solutions based on real-time insights.

Conclusion

These were some of the embedded system evolution trends shaping diverse industries. This cutting-edge technology is experiencing significant growth and is widely adopted across various industries. Manufacturers now heavily rely on embedded devices in sectors such as smart home solutions, consumer electronics, automotive, and security systems. This growing demand for embedded systems is reflected in the job market, where the need for skilled embedded systems engineers is rising.

According to industry statistics, the demand for embedded systems engineers has steadily increased. In the United States alone, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 3% growth in employment for electrical and electronics engineers, including those specializing in embedded systems, from 2021 to 2031.

To meet the growing demand for skilled embedded systems engineers, Skill-Lync, in partnership with NASSCOM, offers specialized courses in embedded systems engineering. Skill-Lync's on-campus program powered by NASSCOM provides aspiring engineers with comprehensive training to pursue a successful career in embedded systems engineering. Talk to our experts to get a free  demo.