Evaluation Boards - Embedded

Evaluation Boards - Embedded - MCU, DSP

Part Number	Description / PDF	Quantity
STM3242I-SK/IAR STMicroelectronics	IAR KICKSTART STM32F429 EVAL BRD	1
80-000454 Critical Link	OMAP-L138 EVAL BRD	0
NUCLEO-L452RE-P STMicroelectronics	NUCLEO-64 STM32L452RE EVAL BRD	76
LAUNCHXL-F280025C Texas Instruments	C2000 MCU F280025C LAUNCHPAD DEV	8
DM320114 Roving Networks / Microchip Technology	SAMA5D36 EVAL BRD	0
RB-D62Q1747TB100 ROHM Semiconductor	ML62Q1747 REFERENCE BOARD	2
DEV-17720 SparkFun	SPARKFUN MICROMOD RP2040 PROCESS	89
MIKROE-2019 MikroElektronika	MIKROLAB FOR 8051 L EVAL BRD	0
DEV-17244 SparkFun	NVIDIA JETSON NANO 2GB DEVELOPER	104
KITA2GTC375LITETOBO1 IR (Infineon Technologies)	AURIX TC375 LITE KIT	29
ATSAMG55-XPRO Roving Networks / Microchip Technology	SAM G55 XPLAINED PRO ATSAMG55	26
MAX32625MBED# Maxim Integrated	MAX32625 EVAL BRD	1559
TMDSEVML138 Texas Instruments	TMDSEVML138	0
MIKROE-1504 MikroElektronika	MIKROMEDIA TM4C129X EVAL BRD	0
AT91SAM9G10-EK2 Roving Networks / Microchip Technology	AT91SAM9G10 EVAL BRD	0
MIKROE-462 MikroElektronika	BIGAVR6 EVAL BRD	0
UPMP-F960-EMIF-EK Silicon Labs	UDP C8051F960 EVAL BRD	0
Z51F0811000KIT Zilog / Littelfuse	Z51F0811 EVAL BRD	0
MIKROE-1108 MikroElektronika	EASYMX PRO V7 STM32 EVAL BRD	0
STM3220G-EVAL STMicroelectronics	STM32 F2 EVAL BRD	7

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