Embedded systems and the Internet of Things
Computer Science · Key Stage 3 · The School
A hidden computer
An embedded system is a small computer built into a bigger device. It runs ONE program, forever, and does ONE job well. A microwave chip counts down and turns off the power. A car's engine chip reads sensors and adjusts fuel. Unlike a laptop, you never install new apps on it.
Why small and simple wins here
A laptop chip is powerful and general. An embedded chip is small, cheap, and uses very little power. A smoke alarm must run for years on one battery. A car has dozens of these small chips, not one big one, because each job is simpler and safer that way.
Adding the internet
The INTERNET OF THINGS means embedded devices that also connect online. A smart thermostat, a doorbell camera, a fitness tracker — each one senses something, sends data over the internet, and can be controlled from an app. This adds a real new power. It also adds a real new risk.
A washing machine with no internet connection cannot be hacked from outside your house. Add a Wi-Fi chip, and now it can. Many smart devices ship with a default password nobody changes, and weak software nobody updates. In 2016 thousands of hacked cameras and routers were used together to knock major websites offline. The devices themselves were harmless. Connecting them, without securing them, is what created the danger.