0Electronic systems now perform a wide variety of tasks in daily life. Electronic systems in some cases have replaced mechanisms that operated mechanically, hydraulically, or by other means; electronics are usually smaller, more flexible, and easier to service.
In other cases, electronic systems have created totally new applications. Electronic systems perform a variety of tasks, some of them visible, some more hidden:
• Personal entertainment systems such as portable MP3 players and DVD players perform sophisticated algorithms with remarkably little energy.
• Electronic systems in cars operate stereo systems and displays; they also control fuel injection systems, adjust suspensions to varying terrain, and perform the control functions required for anti-lock braking (ABS) systems.
• Digital electronics compress and decompress video, even at high-definition data rates, on-the-fly in consumer electronics.
• Low-cost terminals for Web browsing still require sophisticated electronics, despite their dedicated function.
• Personal computers and workstations provide word-processing, financial analysis, and games. Computers include both central processing units (CPUs) and special-purpose hardware for disk access, faster screen display, etc.
• Medical electronic systems measure bodily functions and perform complex processing algorithms to warn about unusual conditions. The availability of these complex systems, far from overwhelming consumers, only creates demand for even more complex systems.
The growing sophistication of applications continually pushes the design and manufacturing of integrated circuits and electronic systems to new levels of complexity. And perhaps the most amazing characteristic of this collection of systems is its variety as systems become more complex, we build not a few general-purpose computers but an ever wider range of special-purpose systems. Our ability to do so is a testament to our growing mastery of both integrated circuit manufacturing and design, but the increasing demands of customers continue to test the limits of design and manufacturing.
