Digital signal processors (DSPs) are specialized microprocessors optimized for digital signal processing. The first DSP was developed by Texas Instruments in 1978. DSP technology has since advanced through several generations with improved instructions and speeds. The DSP market is large and growing due to increasing demand for electronic solutions. DSPs are used in a wide range of applications including communications, consumer electronics, healthcare, industrial, and automotive due to their ability to perform real-time signal processing.