AN

INTERNSHIP REPORT
On

“Embedded Systems”
Submitted to

RAJIV GANDHI UNIVERSITY OF KNOWLEDGE TECHNOLOGIES,

in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the Degree of
BACHELOR OF TECHNOLOGY
IN
ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING

Submitted by

L.SREELATHA-R200611

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING

RAJIV GANDHI UNIVERSITY OF KNOWLEDGE AND TECHNOLOGY
RAJIV KNOWLEDGE VALLEY
KADAPA - 516 330
2024-2025

PROJECT INTERNAL GUIDE HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT

Mrs G.SUCHITRA A.SREEKANTH REDDY
Assistant Professor Assistant Professor

RGUKT RK VALLEY, DEPT OF EEE, IDUPULAPAYA,KADAPA

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 RAJIV GANDHI UNIVERSITY OF KNOWLEDGE AND TECHNOLOGIES
RK VALLEY, KADAPA - 516330
DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING
2024-2025

CERTIFICATE

L.SREELATHA-R200611

for the partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of B.Tech Degree in ELECTRICAL AND
ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING ,RGUKT ,Kadapa.

PROJECT INTERNAL GUIDE HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT

Mrs G.SUCHITRA A.SREEKANTH REDDY
Assistant Professor Assistant Professor

Intenship viva-voce held on : ____________________

SIGNATURE OF GUIDE SIGNATURE OF HOD

RGUKT RK VALLEY, DEPT OF EEE, IDUPULAPAYA,KADAPA

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 DECLARATION

I am here by declare that the project report entitled “EMBEDDED SYSTEMS”

submitted to the Department of ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING in
partial fulfilment of requirements for the award of the degree of BACHELOR OF
TECHNOLOGY. The result of my own effort and that it has not been submitted to any
other University or Institution for the award of any degree or diploma other than
specified above.

WITH SINCERE REGARDS

L.SREELATHA-R200611

RGUKT RK VALLEY, DEPT OF EEE, IDUPULAPAYA,KADAPA

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 RAJIV GANDHI UNIVERSITY OF KNOWLEDGE AND TECHNOLOGIES RK
VALLEY, KADAPA - 516330

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to express our deepest and heart full thanks to A.SREEKANTH REDDY
Head of the Department, ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING ,successful
for his kind help and encouragement during the course of our study and in the
completion of the intenship. We are thankful to our guide Mrs G.SUCHITRA
Department of EEE, for her Valuable Guidance and encouragement. Her helping
attitude and suggestions have helped us in the Successful completion of the
intenship.

RGUKT RK VALLEY, DEPT OF EEE, IDUPULAPAYA,KADAPA

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 ABSTRACT

This intenship is based on embedded systems, which are special computer

systems designed to perform specific tasks within larger electronic devices. Unlike general-purpose
computers such as laptops or desktops, embedded systems are built to do one or a few functions
very efficiently. They are found everywhere in modern life — in home appliances, cars, mobile
phones, industrial machines, medical devices, and more.

The main goal of this intenshipn is to understand how embedded systems work
and how they can be used to solve real-life problems. An embedded system usually includes a
microcontroller or microprocessor, memory, input/output ports, and software that controls how it
behaves. These systems often work with sensors and actuators to collect data from the
environment and respond to it automatically. For example, a temperature control system can
sense the room temperature and turn on a fan or heater as needed.

In this intenship we will design and build a simple embedded system using a
microcontroller (such as Arduino or STM32) to perform a specific task. This includes selecting
suitable hardware components, writing the control program, and testing the system to make sure
it works reliably. We will also study how to optimize the system for low power consumption, fast
response, and efficient performance. By completing this project, we aim to gain practical
knowledge of how embedded systems are developed, programmed, and applied in real-world
situations. This understanding is important, as embedded systems are at the heart of many smart
technologies used in automation, robotics, consumer electronics, and the Internet of Things (IoT).

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

CONTENTS PAGE NO
REPORT - 1
CERTIFICATE - 2
DECLARATION - 3
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS - 4
ABSTRACT - 5

CHAPTER - 1
1.INTRODUCTION - 7

CHAPTER - 2
2.MICROCONTROLLER AND - 8-10
MICROPROCESSOR
CHAPTER - 3
3.EMBEDDED C PROGRAMMING - 11-13
3.1 REAL TIME OPERATING SYSTEMS
3.2 APPLICATIONS OF EMBEDDED SYSTEMS
CHAPTER - 4
4.1 NEUROMORPHIC COMPUTING - 14-15
4.2 UART PROTOCOL
CHAPTER - 5
5. HARDWARE ACCELERATORS FOR AI INFERENCE AND RAL - 16

CHAPTER - 6
6. AI ALGORITHM IN SEMICONDUCTOR INDUSTRY AND ARM - 17
CHAPTER - 7
- 18
7. EDGE AI WITH IOT AND SPI PROTOCOL
CHAPTER - 8
8. FUTURE TRENDS IN INTEGRATING SEMICONDUCTOR - 19
DEVICES WITH AI
- 20
CONCLUSION

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 CHAPTER -1

1. INTRODUCTION

An embedded system is a small computer that is built into a larger device to control
how it works. It is called "embedded" because it is part of a bigger system or machine. These
systems are designed to do one specific job, like controlling the temperature in an air
conditioner, running the timer in a microwave, or managing the engine in a car.Unlike regular
computers (like laptops or desktops) that can do many different things, embedded systems
are made for just one or a few tasks. They are usually simple, small in size, and very efficient.
Most people use embedded systems every day without even knowing it, because they are
hidden inside common devices.

Embedded systems make devices smarter, faster, and automatic. For example:
A washing machine uses an embedded system to run washing cycles.
A traffic light uses it to switch between red, yellow, and green lights.
A mobile phone has several embedded systems for the camera, display, and battery
management.

How Do They Work?

An embedded system usually has:

A microcontroller or microprocessor – this is like the brain.
Memory – stores data and the program.
Input devices – like sensors or buttons.
Output devices – like motors, lights, or displays.
Software – a program that tells the system what to do.
These parts work together to sense, process, and respond to the environment or user.

Characteristics of Embedded Systems

Task-Specific – Performs one or few dedicated functions.
Real-Time Operation – Responds quickly to external events.
Resource-Constrained – Limited memory, processing power, and storage.
Reliability and Stability – Must run for long periods without failure.
Low Power Consumption – Designed to be energy-efficient.
Compact Size – Usually small and fit within the device they control.

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 CHAPTER - 2

Microcontroller
A microcontroller is a small computer on a single chip. It is made to control devices and
do specific tasks.Think of it like the brain of a small machine it receives information, thinks
about what to do, and then sends out signals to make things happen.

What Does a Microcontroller Do?

A microcontroller:
1. Reads input – For example, it gets data from a sensor or button.
2. Processes the data – It checks what it should do based on the input.
3. Controls the output – It turns on a light, moves a motor, or shows
something on a screen.

Examples of Microcontroller Use

In a microwave, the microcontroller controls the timer and heating.

In a car, it controls airbag systems and engine operations.
In a remote control, it reads button presses and sends signals.
In DIY projects, boards like Arduino use microcontrollers.

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Microprocessor
A microprocessor is the brain of a computer. It is a chip that can process data and run
programs. It reads instructions, performs calculations, and controls the operations of a computer
or device.Unlike a microcontroller, a microprocessor usually needs external parts (like memory
and input/output devices) to work. It is mainly used in general-purpose computers such as
laptops, desktops, and servers.

What Does a Microprocessor Do?

A microprocessor:
1. Takes input – like numbers or instructions from memory.
2. Processes the input – does math, logic, or other tasks.
3. Sends output – gives results to memory or output devices.
Parts of a Microprocessor

ALU (Arithmetic Logic Unit) – Does math and logic operations.

Control Unit – Tells the system what to do and when.
Registers – Small storage areas inside the chip for quick access to data.

Where Are Microprocessors Used?

Personal computers (PCs and laptops)

Mobile phones (in the form of processors)
Gaming consoles
High-performance machines (servers, robots, etc.)

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Difference between microcontroller and microprocessor

Feature Microcontroller (MCU) Microprocessor (MPU)

A compact integrated A central processing unit

Definition circuit designed to (CPU) used to perform
govern a specific computations in general-

Includes CPU, RAM, Only includes the CPU;

Components ROM/Flash, I/O ports, requires external
timers, and peripherals components like RAM,

Designed for specific Designed for high-speed

Purpose tasks or control-oriented data processing and
applications (e.g., multitasking (e.g., PCs,

Simpler, easier to design More complex, capable

Complexity and program for specific of handling intensive
tasks. computing tasks.

Low power consumption;

Higher power
Power Consumption ideal for battery-
consumption.
operated devices.

Operates at lower clock Operates at higher clock

Speed
speeds (usually in MHz). speeds (usually in GHz).

Cost Low cost. Higher cost.

Intel Core i7, AMD

Atmel ATmega328,
Examples Ryzen, ARM Cortex-A
PIC16F877A, STM32
series

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 CHAPTER-3

EMBEDDED C PROGRAMMING
A microprocessor is the brain of a computer. It is a chip that can process data and run
programs. It reads instructions, performs calculations, and controls the operations of a computer
or device.Unlike a microcontroller, a microprocessor usually needs external parts (like memory
and input/output devices) to work. It is mainly used in general-purpose computers such as
laptops, desktops, and servers.
Embedded C is essentially C language extended with features to interact with hardware directly,
such as:
Memory-mapped I/O
Hardware timers
Interrupt handling
Bit-level operations

Why Use Embedded C ?

Efficient and lightweight
Portable across platforms (with some hardware-specific changes)
Allows direct access to hardware registers
Used in microcontrollers like AVR, PIC, ARM, STM32, e
Typical Components of Embedded C Code

1.Header Files

Include device-specific libraries

#include <avr/io.h>
2.Main Function

Every program starts here

int main() {
// setup and loop
}
3.Peripheral Setup
Configure I/O pins, timers, etc.
DDRB |= (1 << PB0); // Set PB0 as output
4.Infinite Loop
Embedded systems often run continuously
while(1) {
PORTB ^= (1 << PB0); // Toggle LED
}

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Example: Blink an LED using Embedded C
#include <avr/io.h>
#include <util/delay.h>

int main(void) {
DDRB |= (1 << PB0); // Set PB0 as output

while (1) {
PORTB ^= (1 << PB0); // Toggle LED
_delay_ms(500); // Delay
}
}
Tools Used
IDE/Compilers: MPLAB X, Keil, Atmel Studio, STM32CubeIDE
Programmers: USBasp, ST-Link, J-Link
Simulators/Debuggers: Proteus, SimulIDE, built-in IDE debuggers

3.1Real-Time Operating Systems (RTOS) in Embedded Systems

A Real-Time Operating System (RTOS) is a specialized operating system designed to
guarantee predictable and timely execution of tasks, especially in embedded systems that need
real-time performance.
Types of Real-Time Systems

Type Description

Hard Real-Time Missing a deadline causes system failure (e.g., airbag

system)

Soft Real-Time Missing a deadline degrades performance but doesn’t

cause failure (e.g., video streaming)

Firm Real-Time Occasional missed deadlines tolerated, but late

responses are useless (e.g., online stock trading)

Features of an RTOS

Feature Description

Multitasking Runs multiple tasks seemingly at once

Task Scheduling Decides which task runs when (e.g., priority-based)

Determinism Predictable response times

Preemption High-priority tasks can interrupt lower ones

Inter-task Communication Semaphores, queues, message passing

Time Management Delays, timeouts, periodic tasks

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3.2Applications of Embedded Systems
1.consumer Electronics
Smartphones & smartwatches
Smart TVs, gaming consoles
Digital cameras
Home automation (smart bulbs, smart plugs)
2.Automotive Systems
Engine control units (ECU)
Anti-lock braking system (ABS)
Airbag controllers
Advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS)
Electric vehicle battery management
3.Industrial Automation
Robotics controllers
Programmable logic controllers (PLC)
Process monitoring sensors
Smart meters and industrial IoT nodes
4. Aerospace & Defense
Avionics (flight control, navigation)
Radar and sonar systems
Satellite control systems
Autonomous drones and UAVs
5.Medical Devices
Portable diagnostic tools (ECG, blood glucose monitors)
Implantable devices (pacemakers)
Infusion pumps
Smart medical wearables
6.Networking & Communication
Routers and modems
IoT gateways
Network switches
Smart home hubs
7.Office Automation & Banking
Printers & scanners
ATMs
Point of Sale (POS) terminals
Biometric authentication devices
8.Smart Energy & Utilities
Smart meters
Solar panel controllers

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 CHAPTER-4

4.1 Neuromorphic computig

Neuromorphic computing is a type of computing that mimics the structure and function of
the human brain using specialized hardware.
🔍 Key Concepts:
Inspired by biology: Simulates neurons and synapses instead of traditional logic gates.
Spiking Neural Networks (SNNs): Uses spikes (binary pulses) to process data—just like brain
neurons.
Asynchronous Processing: Processes data only when needed (event-driven), saving power.
Advantages
Low power consumption
Massive parallelism
Efficient for AI and pattern recognition
Example Implementations

Chip Developer Features

Loihi Intel 130,000 neurons, on-chip

learning

TrueNorth IBM 1 million neurons, 70 mW

power

SpiNNaker Univ. of Manchester Massive parallel

architecture

Semiconductor Implementation in Neuromorphic Computing

Neuromorphic systems require custom semiconductor designs that are different from standard
CPUs/GPUs.
Design Aspects
Analog/digital hybrid circuits: Mimic biological processes more naturally.
Memristors: Act like synapses by retaining memory based on current flow.
3D stacking: Improves connectivity and density—mimicking brain-like structures.
Key Components
Neurons → Implemented using logic gates or analog elements
Synapses → Often built using memristors, floating-gate transistors, or phase-change memory
Challenges
Fabrication complexity
Variability and noise in analog components
Lack of standard programming models

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4.2 UART Protocol (Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter)
UART is a simple, widely used serial communication protocol for short-distance, low-speed,
low-cost data exchange between devices.
How It Works
Transmits data bit by bit (asynchronously—no clock signal)
Uses start and stop bits to frame each byte
UART Frame Format (for 8-bit data)
Start Bit | Data Bits | (Optional Parity Bit) | Stop Bit(s)
0 | D0–D7 | (even/odd) | 1
Typical Settings
Baud rate: 9600, 115200, etc.
Data bits: Usually 8
Parity: None / even / odd
Stop bits: 1 or 2
Applications
Communication between microcontrollers, sensors, GPS modules, Bluetooth, etc.
Example in Embedded C
// Example UART transmit in STM32 HAL
HAL_UART_Transmit(&huart2, (uint8_t*)"Hello", 5, 100);

Comparison

Feature UART SPI I2C

Clock Line ❌ No ✅ Yes ✅ Yes

Speed Medium Fast Medium

Wires Needed 2 (Tx, Rx) 4 (MISO, MOSI, SCK, 2 (SDA, SCL)

SS)

Distance Short Short Medium

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 CHAPTER-5

What is a Hardware Accelerator for AI?

A hardware accelerator is a specialized circuit designed to perform AI tasks faster and more
efficiently than a general-purpose CPU.
It speeds up operations like:
Matrix multiplications (core to neural networks)
Convolutions (used in image recognition)
Activation functions (non-linear layers)

Examples of AI Accelerators:
NPU (Neural Processing Unit) — e.g., Google Edge TPU, Intel Movidius
GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) — e.g., NVIDIA Jetson series
FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) — custom hardware for specific AI pipelines
ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit) — purpose-built for AI inference

How Do Accelerators Interface with Embedded Systems?

Connection: The main processor communicates with the accelerator using interfaces like AXI,
PCIe, I2C, SPI, or UART.
Data Flow:
a. Processor loads model or input data into memory.
b. Configures the accelerator through control registers.
c. Accelerator performs heavy computations.
d. Processor reads back results.
Benefit: Offloads compute-intensive tasks → saves power & boosts performance.
Register Abstraction Layer (RAL)
A Register Abstraction Layer (RAL) is a software layer that hides the low-level details of hardware
registers behind easy-to-use names and APIs.
Why RAL Matters:
Makes embedded software easier to write and maintain.
Provides clear names instead of raw register addresses.
Enables portable code across hardware versions.
How RAL Works
Without RAL:
*(volatile uint32_t*)0x40000010 = 0x01; // Hard to read!
With RAL:
ACCELERATOR->CTRL.START = 1; // Clear and safe!

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 CHAPTER - 6
Why Implement AI in Semiconductor Industry?
Modern semiconductor companies use AI for:
Manufacturing optimization: Defect detection, yield prediction, equipment monitoring.
Chip design automation: Faster layout, verification, and testing.
Edge AI chips: Building AI processors and NPUs for IoT, mobile, automotive.
Key Design Considerations

Aspect Design Consideration

Choose the right processor: ARM Cortex-A/R/M,

Compute Requirements GPU, NPU, or FPGA. Match the AI workload (CNN,
RNN, tinyML).
AI needs fast, large memory bandwidth for
Memory & Storage models & data. Optimize DRAM and on-chip
SRAM.
Keep power low for embedded/edge devices.
Power & Area Use hardware accelerators (NPU, DSP) to offload
CPU. Minimize silicon area.

High-speed buses (AXI, PCIe) and low-latency

Interconnects
data paths are critical for real-time inference.

Design for upgradability: future AI models may

Scalability
need more compute.

Use AI frameworks optimized for ARM:

Toolchain & Libraries TensorFlow Lite, Arm NN, CMSIS-NN for Cortex-
M.

Protect IP & models. Use secure boot, encrypted

Reliability & Testing
memory, trusted execution environments (TEE).

Use AI for self-test and defect detection in

Reliability & Testing manufacturing. Meet strict semiconductor
reliability standards.

ARM in AI Solutions
ARM CPUs: Widely used for control logic in AI SoCs.
ARM NPUs: ARM Ethos-N series for efficient ML inference.
Software Support: ARM Compute Library, CMSIS-NN, TensorFlow Lite Micro.

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 CHAPTER - 7
What is Edge AI with IoT?
Edge AI means running AI algorithms locally on IoT devices (sensors, cameras, wearables)
instead of sending all data to the cloud.
This saves bandwidth, reduces latency, and enables real-time decisions.
Key Enabler:
Small ML models (TinyML)
Efficient MCUs (ARM Cortex-M)
Hardware accelerators (NPU, DSP)
Why Use SPI?
SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface) is a high-speed, full-duplex serial bus used to connect:
Sensors → Microcontrollers
Microcontrollers → Edge AI accelerators (e.g., TinyML co-processor, FPGA, specialized ICs)
SPI Advantages:
Simple hardware (4 wires: MISO, MOSI, SCLK, SS)
Faster than I2C
Flexible for short-distance, high-speed data transfer (typical in IoT nodes)
Smart Wearable Health Monitor
Use Case: AI detects abnormal heart rate or motion.
Edge AI Role: On-device ML classifies ECG or IMU sensor data.
SPI Role: SPI connects high-precision heart-rate sensor or IMU to the MCU running the
ML model.
Example MCU: ARM Cortex-M4 or M33 with TensorFlow Lite Micro.
Predictive Maintenance Sensor Node
Use Case: Vibration sensor on industrial equipment predicts failures.
Edge AI Role: Local ML classifies vibration patterns.
SPI Role: High-speed SPI transfers vibration data from MEMS sensor to MCU for
inference.
Benefit: No need for constant cloud upload; real-time alerts.
Smart Agriculture Drone
Use Case: AI detects crop health from multispectral images.
Edge AI Role: Image processing & plant stress detection onboard.
SPI Role: SPI camera module sends raw image frames to MCU or edge NPU for fast local
processing.
Outcome: Immediate action (spray, navigate) with no remote delay.

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 CHAPTER - 8
Why Integrate AI with Semiconductor Devices?
AI is transforming semiconductor devices by embedding intelligence at the chip level, enabling:
Smart sensing (e.g., cameras, wearables)
On-chip machine learning (ML) inference
Real-time decision-making in edge devices
High-performance computing (HPC) for training models
This trend drives smarter chips, smaller form factors, and better energy efficiency.
Future Trends

Trend Description

Growing demand for tiny, low-power AI

1️⃣ Edge AI Proliferation chips (TinyML) for IoT, smart home,
automotive.

Using brain-inspired architectures or

2️⃣ Neuromorphic & In-Memory
memory arrays (memristors) for faster,
Computing
more efficient AI processing.

Combining CPUs, NPUs, DSPs, GPUs,

3️⃣ Heterogeneous Integration and custom accelerators on a single
SoC.

High-speed buses like AHB, AXI, or

4️⃣ AI-Optimized Interconnects NoCs for low-latency data movement
between AI cores.

Using AI for chip design automation

5️⃣ AI-Assisted Design & Testing (EDA) and manufacturing defect
detection.

Role of AHB Protocol

AHB (Advanced High-performance Bus) is part of ARM’s AMBA specification.
It connects CPUs, memory, and AI accelerators inside SoCs.
Provides high bandwidth and pipelined transfers, ideal for moving large AI data.
Used widely in ARM Cortex-A, Cortex-R, and even Cortex-M based AI SoCs.

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 CONCLUSION

This internship has provided a comprehensive understanding of embedded

systems, from their basic architecture and programming to advanced topics like AI
integration, hardware accelerators, and real-time operating systems. By exploring
microprocessors, microcontrollers, and embedded C programming, I strengthened my
foundation in embedded hardware and software design.
Through the study of neuromorphic computing, hardware accelerators, and
design considerations for AI algorithms, I gained insights into how modern AI
technologies are being implemented at the semiconductor level, especially on ARM-based
architectures. Learning about communication protocols like UART, SPI, and interconnects
such as AHB deepened my understanding of how embedded devices communicate
efficiently.
The exploration of case studies and real-world applications in IoT, edge
computing, automotive, industrial automation, healthcare, and consumer devices
highlighted how embedded systems solve practical problems and create smart, connected
products.
Overall, this internship has broadened my technical knowledge and practical
understanding of how embedded systems and AI technologies intersect, preparing me to
contribute to the future of smart devices, intelligent automation, and advanced
semiconductor solutions.

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