Introduction

Abstract

Embedded systems are computers in disguise, systems carrying along a computer or processor-based system that are not programmable by the user and in most cases do not have any observable resemblance to a computer [36]. The software is typically developed by the designers of the system, downloaded or hard-coded to the system at manufacture-time, and inaccessible to the end-user. Such systems can be found at home (washing machine, DVD-player, game console), in the office (printer, WLAN base station, building automation), cars (engine control, ABS brakes, security system), aeroplanes (fly-by-wire, navigation, autopilot), industrial, forest, and harvesting machines (process monitoring, process control, robotics), in your pocket (mp3 player, mobile phone, PDA) and even in your wallet (electronic bus tickets, credit cards, keycards). © 2007 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.