What are the challenges in real-time audio signal processing?

Real-time audio challenges: Latency (< 10-20ms for live monitoring, FFT block size vs latency), Determinism (consistent processing time, avoid jitter), Buffer management (handle input/output asynchrony, prevent underruns/overruns), Computational efficiency (optimize algorithms, use SIMD, avoid dynamic allocation), Sample rate conversion (between device rates), Thread safety (audio callback vs control threads), and Platform-specific (audio APIs, driver latency). Solutions: Double/triple buffering, lock-free queues, optimized libraries (FFTW, IPP), profiling for worst-case timing. Embedded constraints add memory and power limits.