The reason I find microcontrollers fascinating is that they have been and continue to be such an important part of the electronics industry.  Over the past decade and more microcontrollers have been creeping into our daily lives.  Figure 1 shows how microcontrollers increased in popularity from 1991 through 1996.
In today’s world, microcontrollers are used in just about every electronic object in the household and place of business.  Just about the only common object in the house that does not have a microcontroller in it is the light bulb.  In fifteen years or so even that may not be the case.
The reason microcontrollers have become so common is that they are more than merely reliable.  By adding a small computer to many devices it is possible to increase efficiency or safety, or any number of other features.
Timing devices are now composed almost entirely of microcontrollers.  This has made them unbelievably accurate.  They are also cheap, and much more reliable.  A digital watch today, which has no moving parts, is almost impossible to break through normal use.  It is easy to adapt digital watches to extreme environments such as the deep sea or vacuum.
Telephones and other personal communication devices also use microcontrollers. With such devices it is possible to have wireless telephones and cellular phones, each capable of maintaining a connection between the phone unit and some sort of base station.  These phones can also encrypt data as it leaves and decrypt it as it comes in.
Televisions and stereos use microcontrollers.  Neither is the mess of tubes that was synonymous with televisions and radios.  As a result, both produce better quality picture and sound, have more features, and weigh less per unit volume.
All kinds of transportation systems use microcontrollers.  Cars use them in fuel injection systems, brakes, airbags, and just about any other piece of equipment.
Airplanes are going to a “fly-by-wire” control system.  This is a complex computer interface between the controls that the pilot uses and the control surfaces of the plane. Such interfaces are controlled by microcontrollers.
Modern traffic lights are controlled by microcontrollers.  Emergency phones by the highways of America have solar panels, batteries, and a microcontroller circuit to operate in remote areas. 

            Microcontroller's use increased rapidly. Now these are used in almost every electronic equipment like Washing Machines, Mobile Phones and Microwave Oven. Following are the most important facts about Microcontrollers, which causes rapid growth of their use:

Microcontrollers are cheap and very small in size, therefore they can be embedded on any device.
Programming of Microcontrollers is simple to learn. Its not much complicated.
We can use simulators on Computers to see the practical results of our program. Thus we can work on a Embedded project without even buying the required Components and Chips. Thus we can virtually see the working of our project or program.







Microcontrollers are mostly used in following electronic equipments :
  • Mobile Phones
  • Auto Mobiles
  • CD/DVD Players
  • Washing Machines
  • Cameras
  • In Computers-> Modems and Keyboard Controllers
  • Security Alarms
  • Electronic Measurement Instruments.
  • Microwave Oven