What is the purpose of firmware in an embedded system?

Firmware serves as the crucial software that provides low-level control for a device's specific hardware. In the context of embedded systems, it acts as an intermediary between the hardware components and higher-level software applications. Firmware is typically stored in non-volatile memory, allowing it to remain intact even when the power is turned off.

By providing essential functions for interacting with device hardware, firmware enables the operating system and applications to communicate effectively with the physical components, such as sensors, motors, and circuit interfaces. This interaction is fundamental for an embedded system to perform its intended tasks reliably.

While user interface design, network performance optimization, and user data storage can be significant aspects of a system's overall functionality, they primarily rely on the underlying firmware to manage and execute commands sent to the hardware. Thus, the primary role of firmware in an embedded system is to facilitate hardware interaction, making option B the most accurate choice.