计算机工程围绕嵌入式系统进行设计，而嵌入式系统是数字和计算机系统的设计，而嵌入式系统是一个较大整体的一部分。在许多嵌入式系统中也存在实时约束。目前，嵌入式计算机比台式计算机多得多。它们位于无线和有线数字网络的数据传输系统中，在汽车的燃油喷射系统中，在飞机的飞行控制系统中，在机器人的运动控制和传感器系统中，在核电厂的控制和保护系统中如今已成为低成本玩具和厨房用具的重要组成部分。未来无疑将拥有许多更加复杂的嵌入式系统。
computer Engineering centers around embedded systems that are in the design of digital and computer systems which are part of a larger whole. Real-time constraints are also present in many embedded systems. At this time, there are many more embedded computers than desktop computers. They are in the data transmission systems of wireless and wired digital networks, in the fuel injection system for cars, in the flight control system for airplanes, in the motion control and sensor system for robots, in the control and protection systems of nuclear power plants and now appear prominently as components in low-cost toys and kitchen appliances. The future undoubtedly holds many more complex embedded systems.