Difference between an Arduino and an Embedded system

Difference between an Arduino and an Embedded system

Arduino: An Arduino is an open-source computer hardware and software company, project, and user community that designs and manufactures single-board microcontrollers and microcontroller kits for building digital devices and interactive objects that can sense and control objects in the physical world. The project’s products are distributed as open-source hardware and software, which are licensed under the GNU Lesser General Public License(LGPL) or the GNU General Public License (GPL), permitting the manufacture of Arduino boards and software distribution by anyone. Arduino boards are available commercially in preassembled form, or as do-it-yourself kits.

Embedded System: An embedded system is a computer system with a dedicated function within a larger mechanical or electrical system, often with real-time computing constraints. It is embedded as part of a complete device often including hardware and mechanical parts. Embedded systems control many devices in common use today. Ninety-eight percent of all microprocessors are manufactured as components of embedded systems.

Fig2: Picture of the interior of an ADSL modem/router, a modern example of an embedded system. Labeled parts include a microprocessor (4), RAM(6), and flash memory (7).

So basically any Embedded system is a group/integrated circuit of other devices primarily containing a microcontroller/microprocessor, I/O ports, memory, communication port, oscillator etc which performs or can be programmed to do any electronic/electromechanical task.

And an Arduino is one of those Embedded System Devices (called as an Embedded Development Board), which got very famous in the maker’s community due to its free and open source nature. An Arduino can be used for making any kind of simple automated electronic projects.