An embedded computer is a dedicated computer system that forms an integral part of a larger machine or system. Although Embedded Computers are generally used for single applications, such as controlling traffic systems, or analysing the output of a production line, and are often destined for harsh environments and industrial applications, they do contain many of the same type of components you would find in every day computers and laptops. A CPU and GPU, memory storage and I/O — these are all shared elements, but it is in their design and construction that they differ. Unlike home computers, Embedded Computers are designed for continuous use, so components need to be designed to cope with this. Furthermore, Embedded Computers are more often than not a fanless system, using heat spreaders, heat sinks and their external chassis as cooling systems, aimed to cool the core components of an Embedded Computer and ensure its reliability in harsher and more demanding conditions.
Embedded Computers are so ubiquitious that city-goers probably see their output hundreds of times as they walk through the high street. From small System on Chip computer boards embedded into the back of roadside display systems, to digital signage, passenger information systems and entertainment, Embedded Computers are the hidden heart of the automated space and provide much of the luxuries we enjoy in the modern technological world.