Abstract Embedded detection systems are a critical research topic in intelligent monitoring equipment. In response to the current challenges in balancing real-time performance, accuracy, and stability in embedded hardware detection systems, this paper proposes a software architecture system based on multi-core digital signal processing (DSP), incorporating the image detection Canny algorithm into this system. Initially, the paper discusses the selection criteria for multi-core DSPs and then introduces a multi-core self-check function that can effectively ensure system stability. It also proposes a multi-core communication handshake protocol that significantly enhances the system’s real-time performance. Furthermore, an improved multi-core master-slave architecture is presented, which includes the addition of a timer to the conventional architecture, providing a temporal guarantee for system operation. Finally, the Canny algorithm is selected and applied to this software architecture, with parallel acceleration processing applied to parts of the algorithm. Operational tests have demonstrated that the system maintains stable internal data flow, with its detection accuracy and speed meeting the set requirements.