Evaluation Boards - Embedded

Evaluation Boards - Embedded - MCU, DSP

Part Number	Description / PDF	Quantity
B158-H8548-X-0-7600 IR (Infineon Technologies)	XC866 EVAL BRD	1
YR0K5010RLS000BE Renesas Electronics America	RL78/L12 EVAL BRD	4
110991188 Seeed	SIPEED M1W DOCK SUIT EVAL BRD	51
MPC574XG-256DS NXP Semiconductors	MPC574XC/G EVAL BRD	7
ATSAMV71-XULT Roving Networks / Microchip Technology	SAM V71 XPLAINED ULTRA EVAL BRD	24
AC103011 Roving Networks / Microchip Technology	PIC10F322 EVAL BRD	15
MIKROE-2646 MikroElektronika	MIKROLAB FOR PIC24EP EVAL BD	0
DM320008 Roving Networks / Microchip Technology	PIC32MZ GRAPHICS EVAL BRD	15
DEV-12651 SparkFun	DIGITAL SANDBOX ATMEGA328 EVAL	0
MIKROE-1104 MikroElektronika	EASYMX PRO V7 STM32F207 EVAL BRD	2
102010268 Seeed	SEEEDUINO NANO	0
MIKROE-3873 MikroElektronika	MCU CARD 4 FOR KINETIS MK51DN512	3
MIKROE-4573 MikroElektronika	MCU CARD STM32 STM32F405ZG	0
C8051F996-TB-K Silicon Labs	C8051F98/C8051F99 EVAL BRD	3
MAX31782EVKIT# Maxim Integrated	MAX31782 EVAL BRD	2
C8051T610DK Silicon Labs	C8051T61X EVAL BRD	0
FRDM-K22F NXP Semiconductors	FREEDOM K22 DEV EVAL BRD	81
DM320007-C Roving Networks / Microchip Technology	PIC32 STARTER KIT W/ FPU PIC32MZ	88
IMX233-OLINUXINO-MAXI Olimex	OLINUXINO I.MX233 EVAL BRD	0
MCUNIVERSITYKIT Silicon Labs	C8051F020 EVAL BRD	26

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