Medical device manufacturers understand the importance of the operating system (OS) and, contrary to common practice for embedded systems design, often select the OS before they choose the board. The business needs which drive OS selection for medical devices are much like those for most other devices and require little elaboration: cost, quality, time to market, portability, support, vendor history, ecosystem, and vendor track record. However, before a medical device can go to market, it must comply with legislation in the jurisdictions where it will be sold: for example, in the US, the FDA 510(k) pre market notification; in Europe, the Medical Devices Directive (MDD); and myriad national standards.
