A microprocessor is a computer processor that is small enough to be embedded in almost any electronic device. The term originated in the semiconductor industry, where a microprocessor is an integrated circuit that incorporates the functions of a computer's central processing unit (CPU) on the same chip. In recent years, the term has been applied also to microcontrollers and programmable logic devices.
History
In the early 60s, microprocessors did not exist. VLSI wasn't invented until 1971. The first microprocessor was invented in 1971, the Intel 4004. It was a 4-bit processor, had no instructions, and was used in calculators. It wasn't until 1970 that the transistor was invented, which made it possible for a microprocessor to exist. 1972 saw the invention of the first commercial microprocessor, the Intel 4004, which was used in 1972 in the PDP-1 computer.
Microprocessors are the central nervous system of any electronic device. They comprise the computational unit in a computer, and they play a vital role in the operation of all electronic devices. The difference between a computer and a complex electronic device is that a complex electronic device is designed to take decisions while a computer is designed to take data from a source.
It's been over 40 years since Intel co-founder Gordon Moore published his famous paper on the number of transistors that could be fit on a silicon wafer. His prediction was that the number of transistors on a chip would double every 18 months. His prediction has held true and has become a cornerstone of the modern semiconductor industry. Fast forward to today, and Gordon Moore's prediction holds true in many ways, not just the number of transistors. Microprocessors are no longer restricted to simple chips that implement logic gates and arithmetic operations. Today's microprocessors perform many other complex functions such as graphics, audio, and wireless communications.
Microprocessors (or MCU) are the brains of our gadgets. They are the basic engine that powers all the features of the device, and without them, the device would be nothing but a collection of wires and other electrical components. It may be hard to imagine an electronic device without some sort of microprocessor, but the truth is that most devices nowadays don't have any MCU at all.
Advantages of Microprocessors
The microprocessor is one of the technologies that has a direct impact on the way we live and do business. It is a small device that handles a huge amount of the things we do on a daily basis from the most basic tasks of computing and communication to the more complex activities of science and, in the world of computing, it has become the tool of choice for everything from controlling our washing machines and air-conditioners to monitoring our vital signs and even negotiating with other computers.