Embedded systems development has long been associated with terms such as smaller, faster, smarter, and connected, while the costs for these systems continue to fall. These attributes also nicely sum up the trends affecting the medical market. Medical devices have been shrinking from room- or cart-sized devices to briefcase- or handheld-sized devices. They are performing more tasks and doing it more quickly and accurately than ever before. Smart devices are allowing casual users to proactively diagnose and treat conditions in their home that used to require a trip to the doctor's office or hospital. On top of that, medical devices are becoming connected tools as they begin to incorporate communication capabilities that allow them to interoperate with other devices. [Read the rest of this article.]