Evaluation Boards - Embedded

Evaluation Boards - Embedded - MCU, DSP

Part Number	Description / PDF	Quantity
STM32G474E-EVAL STMicroelectronics	EVALUATION BOARD WITH STM32G474Q	3
AC164164 Roving Networks / Microchip Technology	PIC-IOT WG GOOGLE CLOUD EVAL BRD	125
HWD-MDM-00028 Rhomb.io	ESP32 MASTER MODULE	43
C8051F226DK Silicon Labs	C8051F2XX EVAL BRD	1
MIKROE-2385 MikroElektronika	MIKROMEDIA FT90X EVAL BRD	0
MIKROE-394 MikroElektronika	EASYPSOC4 CY8C26643 EVAL BRD	0
KITXMCPLT2GOXMC4400TOBO1 IR (Infineon Technologies)	XMC4400 PLATFORM2GO	24
ADZS-BF526-EZBRD Analog Devices, Inc.	EZ-BOARD ADSP-BF526 EVAL BRD	0
DM330026 Roving Networks / Microchip Technology	DSPIC33EP128GS808 EVAL BRD	13
4200 Adafruit	ADAFRUIT PYBADGE FEATHER	39
EV-ADUCM322IQSPZ Analog Devices, Inc.	QUICKSTART PLUS ADUCM322I EVAL	1
RB-D62Q1577TB100 ROHM Semiconductor	ML62Q1577 REFERENCE BOARD	2
AT32UC3L0-XPLD Roving Networks / Microchip Technology	UC3-L0 XPLAINED AT32UC3L016 EVAL	2
DM320107 Roving Networks / Microchip Technology	PIC32MM USB CURIOSITY EVAL BRD	6
EVM430-CAPMINI Texas Instruments	CAPACITIVE TOUCH EVAL	16
8MNANOD4-EVK NXP Semiconductors	8MNANOD4-EVK	65
NUCLEO-L496ZG-P STMicroelectronics	NUCLEO-144 STM32L496ZG-P DEV	59
NUCLEO-L412KB STMicroelectronics	NUCLEO-32 STM32L412KB EVAL BRD	0
80-000634 Critical Link	AM335X EVAL BRD	0
NUCLEO-F722ZE STMicroelectronics	NUCLEO-144 STM32F722ZE EVAL BRD	24

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