<PAGE>   1
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 25, 1996
                                                      Registration No. 333-_____
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                  -------------

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933


                        APPLIED MICROSYSTEMS CORPORATION
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


           WASHINGTON                      7373                  91-1074996     
(State or Other Jurisdiction of (Primary Standard Industrial (I.R.S. Employer
Incorporation or Organization)  Classification Code Number)  Identification No.)
                                          
                             5020 148th Avenue N.E.
                            Redmond, Washington 98052
                                 (206) 882-2000


               (Address, including zip code, and telephone number,
                 including area code, of registrant's principal
                               executive offices)

                                  -------------

                        Applied Microsystems Corporation
                           1992 Performance Stock Plan


                                  -------------

                         A. James Beach, Vice President
                           and Chief Financial Officer
                             5020 148th Avenue N.E.
                            Redmond, Washington 98052
                                 (206) 882-2000


            (Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number,
                   including area code, of agent for service)

                                  -------------

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
<TABLE>

======================================================================================================
<S>                           <C>              <C>                              <C>
Title of Each Class of        Amount to be     Proposed Maximum                 Amount of Registration
Securities to Be Registered   Registered (1)   Aggregate Offering Price (2)     Fee
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Common Stock                   250,000 shares  $3,359,375                       $1,158.41
======================================================================================================
</TABLE>


(1)     Plus (i) an indeterminate number of shares of Common Stock that may
        become issuable under the Plan as a result of the adjustment provisions
        therein, and (ii) if any interests in the Plan constitute separate
        securities required to be registered under the Securities Act of 1933,
        then, pursuant to Rule 416(c), an indeterminate amount of such interests
        to be offered or sold pursuant to the Plan.

(2)     Computed pursuant to Rule 457(c) and (h) based on the average of the
        high and low sales prices reported by the Nasdaq Stock Market on October
        23, 1996.
<PAGE>   2
                                     PART II

                   INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN THE PROSPECTUS

ITEM 3.        INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

        The following documents are incorporated in this Registration Statement
by reference:

         1. The Registrant's Registration Statement on Form S-8 filed on April
      8, 1996 (Commission File No. 333-3410);

         2. The Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K filed April 1, 1996
      (Commission File No. 33-97002);

         3. The Registrant's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended
      March 31, 1996, (Commission File No. 0-26778); and

         4. The Registrant's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended
      June 30, 1996, (Commission File No. 0-26778)

        All documents filed by the Registrant with the Commission after the date
of this Registration Statement pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d)
of the Exchange Act, before the filing of a post-effective amendment that
indicates that all securities offered pursuant to this Registration Statement
have been sold or that deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall
also be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement
and to be part hereof from the respective dates of filing of such documents.

        Any statement incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be
modified or superseded for purposes of this Registration Statement to the extent
that a statement contained herein or in any other subsequently filed document
that also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or
supersedes such statement. Any statement so modified or superseded shall not be
deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this
Registration Statement.

                                     II--1
<PAGE>   3
                                   SIGNATURES


        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe it meets all the
requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Redmond, State of Washington, on this 3rd day of
October, 1996.

                                   APPLIED MICROSYSTEMS CORPORATION



                                   By /s/ A. James Beach
                                      ------------------------------------------
                                      A. James Beach
                                      Vice President and Chief Financial Officer


                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


        Each person whose signature appears below hereby constitutes and
appoints Robert L. Deinhammer and A. James Beach and each of them severally, his
true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power to act without the
other and with full power of substitution and resubstitution, to execute in his
name and on his behalf, individually and in each capacity stated below, any and
all amendments and post-effective amendments to this Registration Statement, any
and all supplements hereto, and any and all other instruments necessary or
incidental in connection herewith, and to file the same with the Commission.


        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities indicated below.


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
     SIGNATURE                    TITLE                              DATE
     ---------                    -----                              ----

<S>                            <C>                               <C>     
/s/ Robert L. Deinhammer       President, Chief Executive        October 3, 1996
------------------------       Officer (Principal  
Robert L. Deinhammer           Executive Officer)  
                               

/s/ A. James Beach             Vice President, Secretary,        October 3, 1996
------------------------       Treasurer and Chief        
A. James Beach                 Financial Officer          
                               (Principal Financial and
                               Accounting Officer)


/s/ Anthony Miadich            Chairman of the Board of          October 3, 1996
------------------------       Directors
Anthony Miadich                
</TABLE>



                                     II--2
<PAGE>   4
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
     SIGNATURE                    TITLE                              DATE
     ---------                    -----                              ----

<S>                            <C>                               <C>     
/s/ Elwood D. Howse, Jr.       Director                          October 2, 1996
-------------------------
Elwood D. Howse, Jr.


/s/ Paul N. Risinger           Director                          October 8, 1996
-------------------------
Paul N. Risinger


/s/ David E. Stitt             Director                          October 2, 1996
-------------------------
David E. Stitt
</TABLE>




                                     II--3
<PAGE>   5
EXHIBIT
NUMBER       DESCRIPTION

  5          Opinion of Graham & James LLP/Riddell Williams P.S.

 10          Amendment to Applied Microsystems Corporation 1992
             Performance Stock Plan (incorporated by reference from
             Exhibit 10 to the Registrant's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for
             the quarter ended June 30, 1996, File No. 0-26778).

  23.1       Consent of Graham & James LLP/Riddell Williams P.S.
             (included in Exhibit 5)

  23.2       Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, Independent Auditors

  24         Powers of Attorney (included on signature pages)
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "description": "APPLIED MICROSYSTEMS CORPORATION FORM S-8", "secsgml_size_bytes": 9182}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "APPLIED MICROSYSTEMS CORP /WA/", "cik": "0001000787", "assigned-sic": "7373", "irs-number": "911074996", "state-of-incorporation": "WA", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-14823", "film-number": "96647800"}, "business-address": {"street1": "5020 148TH AVE NE", "street2": "P O BOX 97002", "city": "REDMOND", "state": "WA", "zip": "98073-9702", "phone": "2068822000"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "5020 148TH AVE NE", "city": "REDMOND", "state": "WA", "zip": "98073-9702"}}
1
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 25, 1996
                                                      Registration No. 333-_____
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                  -------------

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                        APPLIED MICROSYSTEMS CORPORATION
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

           WASHINGTON                      7373                  91-1074996     
(State or Other Jurisdiction of (Primary Standard Industrial (I.R.S. Employer
Incorporation or Organization)  Classification Code Number)  Identification No.)
                                          
                             5020 148th Avenue N.E.
                            Redmond, Washington 98052
                                 (206) 882-2000

               (Address, including zip code, and telephone number,
                 including area code, of registrant's principal
                               executive offices)

                                  -------------

                        Applied Microsystems Corporation
                           1992 Performance Stock Plan

                                  -------------

                         A. James Beach, Vice President
                           and Chief Financial Officer
                             5020 148th Avenue N.E.
                            Redmond, Washington 98052
                                 (206) 882-2000

            (Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number,
                   including area code, of agent for service)

                                  -------------

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

======================================================================================================
Title of Each Class of        Amount to be     Proposed Maximum                 Amount of Registration
Securities to Be Registered   Registered (1)   Aggregate Offering Price (2)     Fee
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Common Stock                   250,000 shares  $3,359,375                       $1,158.41
======================================================================================================
(1)     Plus (i) an indeterminate number of shares of Common Stock that may
        become issuable under the Plan as a result of the adjustment provisions
        therein, and (ii) if any interests in the Plan constitute separate
        securities required to be registered under the Securities Act of 1933,
        then, pursuant to Rule 416(c), an indeterminate amount of such interests
        to be offered or sold pursuant to the Plan.

(2)     Computed pursuant to Rule 457(c) and (h) based on the average of the
        high and low sales prices reported by the Nasdaq Stock Market on October
        23, 1996.
2
                                     PART II

                   INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN THE PROSPECTUS

ITEM 3.        INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

        The following documents are incorporated in this Registration Statement
by reference:

         1. The Registrant's Registration Statement on Form S-8 filed on April
      8, 1996 (Commission File No. 333-3410);

         2. The Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K filed April 1, 1996
      (Commission File No. 33-97002);

         3. The Registrant's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended
      March 31, 1996, (Commission File No. 0-26778); and

         4. The Registrant's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended
      June 30, 1996, (Commission File No. 0-26778)

        All documents filed by the Registrant with the Commission after the date
of this Registration Statement pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d)
of the Exchange Act, before the filing of a post-effective amendment that
indicates that all securities offered pursuant to this Registration Statement
have been sold or that deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall
also be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement
and to be part hereof from the respective dates of filing of such documents.

        Any statement incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be
modified or superseded for purposes of this Registration Statement to the extent
that a statement contained herein or in any other subsequently filed document
that also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or
supersedes such statement. Any statement so modified or superseded shall not be
deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this
Registration Statement.

                                     II--1
3
                                   SIGNATURES

        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe it meets all the
requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Redmond, State of Washington, on this 3rd day of
October, 1996.

                                   APPLIED MICROSYSTEMS CORPORATION

                                   By /s/ A. James Beach
                                      ------------------------------------------
                                      A. James Beach
                                      Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

        Each person whose signature appears below hereby constitutes and
appoints Robert L. Deinhammer and A. James Beach and each of them severally, his
true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power to act without the
other and with full power of substitution and resubstitution, to execute in his
name and on his behalf, individually and in each capacity stated below, any and
all amendments and post-effective amendments to this Registration Statement, any
and all supplements hereto, and any and all other instruments necessary or
incidental in connection herewith, and to file the same with the Commission.

        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities indicated below.
SIGNATURE                    TITLE                              DATE
     ---------                    -----                              ----
/s/ Robert L. Deinhammer       President, Chief Executive        October 3, 1996
------------------------       Officer (Principal  
Robert L. Deinhammer           Executive Officer)  
                               

/s/ A. James Beach             Vice President, Secretary,        October 3, 1996
------------------------       Treasurer and Chief        
A. James Beach                 Financial Officer          
                               (Principal Financial and
                               Accounting Officer)

/s/ Anthony Miadich            Chairman of the Board of          October 3, 1996
------------------------       Directors
Anthony Miadich
II--2
4
SIGNATURE                    TITLE                              DATE
     ---------                    -----                              ----
/s/ Elwood D. Howse, Jr.       Director                          October 2, 1996
-------------------------
Elwood D. Howse, Jr.

/s/ Paul N. Risinger           Director                          October 8, 1996
-------------------------
Paul N. Risinger

/s/ David E. Stitt             Director                          October 2, 1996
-------------------------
David E. Stitt
II--3
5
EXHIBIT
NUMBER       DESCRIPTION

  5          Opinion of Graham & James LLP/Riddell Williams P.S.

 10          Amendment to Applied Microsystems Corporation 1992
             Performance Stock Plan (incorporated by reference from
             Exhibit 10 to the Registrant's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for
             the quarter ended June 30, 1996, File No. 0-26778).

  23.1       Consent of Graham & James LLP/Riddell Williams P.S.
             (included in Exhibit 5)

  23.2       Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, Independent Auditors

  24         Powers of Attorney (included on signature pages)