An embedded system is a combination of computer hardware and software-and perhaps additional parts, either mechanical or electronic-designed to perform a dedicated function. A good example is the microwave oven. Almost every household has one, and tens of millions of them are used every day, but very few people realize that a computer processor and software are involved in the preparation of their lunch or dinner. One of the most exciting, yet challenging, areas of electrical and computer engineering is embedded system design. What makes embedded system design so challenging are the numerous design constraints that any embedded system requires. These can include power consumption, limited memory, I/O availability, temperature, spatial constraints, and of course overall cost. For some embedded systems, a particularly important constraint is time. The intent of this book is to provide an overview of embedded systems and its application in avionics.