Evaluation Boards - Embedded

Evaluation Boards - Embedded - MCU, DSP

Part Number	Description / PDF	Quantity
MIKROE-3837 MikroElektronika	MIKROMEDIA 5 FOR STM32F4 CAP FPI	3
MIKROE-3842 MikroElektronika	MCU CARD FOR STM32 STM32F417ZG	3
MPC5746R-144DS NXP Semiconductors	MPC5746R EVAL BRD	0
SLTB009A Silicon Labs	THUNDERBOARD EFM32GG12 EVAL BRD	55
C8051F120DK Silicon Labs	C8051F12X EVAL BRD	0
YSTBS3A6E10 Renesas Electronics America	SYNERGY S3A6 EVAL BRD	1
102110425 Seeed	SIPEED MAIXCUBE ALL-IN-ONE AI DE	49
DEV-14525 SparkFun	REDBOARD ATMEGA328 EVAL BRD	4
NT-NUC123S Nuvoton Technology Corporation America	NUC123 EVAL BRD	5
MIKROE-3715 MikroElektronika	MCU CARD 15 FOR STM32 STM32F723Z	2
MIKROE-755 MikroElektronika	MIKROMEDIA ATXMEGA128A1 EVAL BRD	0
QSK-62P PLUS BNS Solutions	QUICK START KIT M16C/62P EVAL BD	0
AT32UC3A3-XPLD Roving Networks / Microchip Technology	UC3-A3 XPLAINED AT32UC3A3 EVAL	105
DM182028 Roving Networks / Microchip Technology	PIC18F47K42 CURIOSITY NANO EBRD	25
MIKROE-2656 MikroElektronika	MIKROLAB FOR PIC32 EVAL BD	0
MPC5748G-GW-RDB NXP Semiconductors	MPC5748G ETHERNET GATEWAY	7
OM13097UL NXP Semiconductors	LPCXPRESSO LPC84X EVAL BRD	15
MIKROE-414 MikroElektronika	PIC-READY2 PIC MICRO MCU EVAL BD	0
UPMU-F390-A-EK Silicon Labs	UDP C8051F390 EVAL BRD	0
NUCLEO-F413ZH STMicroelectronics	NUCLEO-144 STM32F413ZH DEV EVAL	13

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