Embedding media- centric technology

摘要

The general public's fascination with interactive multimedia has changed the way we design some embedded products. In the past, designers built most embedded devices for their function with less concern for the user interface, yet today's customers are no longer content with a few pushbuttons and flashing LEDs. They expect multimedia performance similar to that of ubiquitous devices, such as personal digital assistants that store and deliver stereo sound, cell phones that capture photos, and laptop computers that reproduce full-length movies. By definition, embedded systems have limited processing and memory resources to minimize costs, so squeezing in extra computing power and dedicated media hardware for a user interface goes against traditional design rules. Nonetheless, the next generation of embedded systems may easily require more computing power for the user interface than for the application.