ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the evolution, and even more so, on the near future of microcontroller-based embedded and cyber-physical systems (CPS), not as much from a historical perspective as from a perspective of past and present enabling technologies and tools. It introduces the evolution of Cyber Physical and Embedded Systems, but not in terms of taxonomies, products, and specifications, but in terms of the common traits and characteristics of such systems, which largely remain unchanged for nearly half a century. The main characteristic of embedded systems is the application- or mission-specific nature of the associated computers. In addition to embedded computation, CPSs have physical interfaces to the outside world with which they interact, such as electromechanical components, actuators, and sensors, thus forming a complete system in which computers and mechanical parts operate in synergy.
