A project based on an embedded system uses a programmable chip to control a toy car remotely. An example programmable chip is the low-cost Microchip PIC 16F84 Microcontroller. A PIC is a controller that handles hardware-interrupt signals. You can program the PIC using standard programming languages such as Basic, C or Assembly Language. If you do not know any of these languages, you can purchase a PIC programmer that you install on your personal computer. You can then program the PIC with the help of its accompanying software.
Frank Vahid and Tony Givargis have co-authored a book called "Embedded System Design: A Unified Hardware/Software Introduction." In this book, students will learn how to build a simplified soda machine controller that accepts coins in the denomination of quarters, dimes and nickels. The controller will keep track of the coins inserted to buy a can of soda for 75 cents. It will not have to deliver change. This lab project is an exercise for implementing a Finite State Machine Datapath (FSMD) by splitting the FSM into a controller and the Datapath into a series of operations implemented with multiplexers, registers, adders and a comparator.
The telephone is an embedded system device, and you can use it to remotely control other electronic appliances connected to it by telephone lines. To do this, you need to implement a controller. This controller has both input lines and output lines. Each input line is connected to the telephone by a telephone wire. Each output line is connected to the AC load of the electronic device you wish to control remotely. The user dials the telephone number followed by a device number. The controller detects the incoming phone call and establishes a connection. The controller also detects the device number pressed and enables or disables the electronic device. You can then program the controller to disconnect from the telephone line automatically after a certain amount of time. To add security to this control, inject a password in the telephone communication to the controller. This will add more complexity to the controller, but is worth it to implement for prolonged use.