Transitioning Embedded Systems to Intelligent Environments:
A Journey through Evolving Technologies
Dr. Satwant Kaur
A future filled with devices to enhance life on our planet, certainly to help save it from wasted annihilation, is the fascinating vision of Dr. Kaur in her book, Transitioning Embedded Systems to Intelligent Environments: A Journey through Evolving Technologies. Dr. Kaur lists dozens of scenarios where she not only describes how existing technology can be improved, but she also suggests ways of doing it, particularly using advanced devices made by Intel. Clearly she is an idealist hoping her book will stimulate inventive thinking.
Dr. Kaur first explains that “an embedded system … has intelligence built in for computing and decision making.” The embedded system might be as simple as one miniature Intel processor chip wired into a computer breadboard environment, or it might be much more complicated such as the entire computer depending on its level of functioning. Thus systems can be both micro and macroscopic.
Embedded within the tiniest manufactured computer chip are even smaller transistors, capacitors, and electronic entities. These allow it to make an intelligent decision, depending on electrical input, as it works in tandem with other chips. Yet on a larger scale, entire computers would be intelligent systems embedded in an operating room when they provide decisive life preserving data about blood pressure, heart rate, blood oxygen levels and respiration for medical personnel performing delicate surgery.
In Transitioning Embedded Systems to Intelligent Environments: A Journey through Evolving Technologies, Dr. Kaur explains how the shifting of even the smallest intelligent system can affect our home life, our energy sources, our health, and our transportation. As an example, my wife and I were given a robot vacuum cleaner (Roomba) as a gift. I was skeptical about using it, but while watching the contraption do its job, I could imagine robots on a much larger scale cleaning office cubicles, or delivering mail, or transporting information from one manufacturing floor to another.
Dr. Kaur sees embedded systems dramatically affecting our health. She talks about chips or strap on devices that could constantly monitor our vital signs, alerting us and our doctor when some unhealthy condition occurs. Already there are pacemakers and glucose monitoring devices for diabetics which keep them out of danger. Other devices might even monitor unhealthy stress levels.
My daughter owns a new automobile that not only tells its mileage but also her miles per gallon. It also monitors air pressure in each tire. It has a built in camera that allows safe backing up by glancing behind on a dashboard screen, eliminating mere mirror reflections. Dr. Kaur talks about “intelligent merging … guidance systems (vehicle)” and a host of other possible environmental enhancements to make transportation more pleasant and less hazardous.
Finally, Transitioning Embedded Systems to Intelligent Environments: A Journey through Evolving Technologies discusses ways the earth’s natural energy resources can be monitored, distributed, and consumed more efficiently. She not only talks about engineering home appliances, furnaces, air conditioners, to be more energy efficient; but also how to create central panels so home owners can monitor their effectiveness. Then, too, it would be great to know the best time of day to run high energy items so as not to overload electrical grids. Most of us in big cities already know the effects of “brownouts.”
If you are looking for a book that will fire up your imagination, read Transitioning Embedded Systems to Intelligent Environments: A Journey through Evolving Technologies. It was fun for me to read about Dr. Kaur’s ideas, and then to sit back and imagine a dramatically different world—maybe even a robot era.
The format of her book is very predictable. Each section brings together a world of futuristic ideas and then explains what kind of devices Intel has created that might be used to build them. Although there is some technological jargon, for the most part, any layman can enjoy this book. I would recommend it to all who are interested in gadgetry, inventiveness, computers, Intel products, a greener world, a healthier self, the preservation of earth for future generations. To enjoy it, all you need is a healthy dose of imagination.
