Evaluation Boards - Embedded

Evaluation Boards - Embedded - MCU, DSP

Part Number	Description / PDF	Quantity
MIKROE-1102 MikroElektronika	MIKROMEDIA STM32F407 EVAL BRD	1
110991191 Seeed	SIPEED MAIX GO SUIT RISCV AI+IOT	0
80-000348 Critical Link	AM1810 EVAL BRD	0
LPC55S28-EVK NXP Semiconductors	LPCXPRESSO 55S28 EVAL BOARD	36
OLIMEXINO-32U4 Olimex	ATMEGA32U4 EVAL BRD	0
MIKROE-1675 MikroElektronika	CLICKER STM32F415 EVAL BRD	15
AVR-MT128 Olimex	ATMEGA128-16AI EVAL BRD	1
NUCLEO-F103RB STMicroelectronics	NUCLEO-64 STM32F103RB EVAL BRD	0
STM32L073Z-EVAL STMicroelectronics	STM32L073VZ EVAL BRD	0
DM164137 Roving Networks / Microchip Technology	CURIOSITY 8/14/20 PIN PIC EVAL	107
DEV-13714 SparkFun	FREESOC2 PSOC 5LP EVAL BRD	6
SCC-FDNO-B GHI Electronics, LLC	SITCORE FEZ DUINO SBC	84
M100K Texas Edge Computing	MOJAVE HIGH TEMPERATURE CTRL KIT	4
STM3210E-SK/IAR STMicroelectronics	IAR KICKSTART STM32F10X EVAL BRD	0
TMDXRM46HDK Texas Instruments	HERCULES DEV KIT RM46L852 EVAL	1
C8051F206DK Silicon Labs	C8051F206 EVAL BRD	0
101-1327 Digi	STANDARD RCM6700 EVAL BRD	25
MIKROE-706 MikroElektronika	MIKROBOARD ATMEGA128 EVAL BRD	0
MIKROE-2651 MikroElektronika	MIKROLAB FOR DSPIC33 EVAL	0
TRK-USB-MPC5643L NXP Semiconductors	STARTERTRAK MPC5643L EVAL BRD	5

Evaluation Boards - Embedded - MCU, DSP

1. Overview

Evaluation Boards (Dev Boards) for Embedded MCUs (Microcontroller Units) and DSPs (Digital Signal Processors) are specialized hardware platforms designed to facilitate the development, testing, and prototyping of embedded systems. These boards provide a physical environment to validate processor capabilities, peripheral integration, and software algorithms before final product deployment. They play a critical role in accelerating development cycles for applications ranging from IoT devices to industrial automation systems.

2. Major Types and Functional Classification

Type	Functional Features	Application Examples
MCU Evaluation Boards	ARM Cortex-M series, integrated peripherals (UART, SPI, I2C), low-power modes	Smart sensors, wearables, home automation
DSP Development Kits	High-speed floating-point processing, SIMD instructions, real-time signal analysis	Audio processing, radar systems, motor control
SoC Embedded Boards	Integrated CPU+GPU+FPGA, multimedia acceleration, OS support	Edge computing, robotics, automotive infotainment
FPGA-based Prototyping Boards	Reconfigurable logic, hardware-software co-design, high-speed I/O	5G communication, AI inference accelerators

3. Structure and Components

Typical evaluation boards consist of:

PCB base with processor/microcontroller soldered onboard
Memory modules (SRAM, Flash, DDR)
Debugging interfaces (JTAG, SWD, UART)
Power management unit (voltage regulators, PMICs)
Peripheral connectors (GPIO, ADC/DAC, Ethernet)
Expansion headers for add-on modules (shields, PMODs)
Onboard sensors/actuators (depending on application focus)

4. Key Technical Specifications

Parameter	Importance
Processor Architecture	Determines computational capabilities and software ecosystem compatibility
Maximum Clock Frequency	Impacts processing speed and real-time performance
Memory Bandwidth	Affects data throughput for signal processing applications
Peripheral Integration	Reduces external component requirements and system complexity
Power Consumption	Critical for battery-powered and thermal-constrained applications
Debugging Capabilities	Enables efficient firmware development and hardware verification

5. Application Fields

Key industries utilizing evaluation boards:

Industrial Automation: PLCs, motor drives, predictive maintenance systems
Consumer Electronics: Smart home devices, AR/VR headsets
Automotive: ADAS prototyping, ECU development
Medical: Portable diagnostic equipment, wearable health monitors
Communications: 5G baseband processing, software-defined radios
Energy: Smart grid controllers, solar inverters

6. Leading Manufacturers and Representative Products

Manufacturer	Product Series	Key Features
STMicroelectronics	STM32 Nucleo Series	ARM Cortex-M cores, Arduino compatibility, mbed OS support
Texas Instruments	TMDX Series	C2000 DSPs for power electronics, Code Composer Studio integration
NXP Semiconductors	i.MX RT Series	ARM Cortex-M7 based crossover processors, LCD interface support
Xilinx	Zynq UltraScale+ MPSoC	ARM Cortex-A53 + FPGA fabric, AI acceleration with DPU

7. Selection Guidelines

Key considerations when choosing evaluation boards:

Match processor architecture to target application requirements (e.g., ARM for general-purpose, DSP for signal processing)
Verify peripheral compatibility with system design (number of timers, communication interfaces)
Assess expansion capabilities for future upgrades
Evaluate software toolchain maturity (IDE, compilers, RTOS support)
Consider power consumption specifications for end-application scenarios
Check available community resources and technical documentation

8. Industry Trend Analysis

Emerging trends shaping evaluation board development:

Increased integration of AI acceleration cores (e.g., Google Edge TPU integration)
Rise of RISC-V based evaluation platforms for customizable computing
Enhanced security features (trusted execution environments, hardware encryption)
Development of low-power wide-area network (LPWAN) enabled boards for IoT
Adoption of heterogeneous computing architectures (CPU+GPU+DSP+FPGA)
Cloud-connected evaluation platforms for remote testing and collaboration