Evaluation Boards - Embedded

Evaluation Boards - Embedded - MCU, DSP

Part Number	Description / PDF	Quantity
FRDM-K32L3A6 NXP Semiconductors	FREEDOM DEV K32L3A6	12
STM32L4R9I-DISCO STMicroelectronics	DISCOVERY STM32L4R9 EVAL BRD	42
STM32H745I-DISCO STMicroelectronics	DISCOVERY KIT WITH STM32H745XI M	118
RB-D620Q133MB16 ROHM Semiconductor	ML620Q131/Q132/Q133 EVAL BRD	0
DK1651-LINUX Micro/sys	STACKABLEUSB SBC1651/I.MX515	0
TMDSPREX28335 Texas Instruments	TMS320F28335 EVAL BRD	8
NUCLEO-L412RB-P STMicroelectronics	NUCLEO-64 STM32L412RB EVAL BRD	9
TMDSEVM572X Texas Instruments	AM572X EVAL BRD	10
STM32L0538-DISCO STMicroelectronics	DISCOVERY STM32L053C8 EVAL BRD	72
NUCLEO-F303RE STMicroelectronics	NUCLEO-64 STM32F303RE EVAL BRD	187
199 Adafruit	TEENSY 2.0 ATMEGA32U4 EVAL BRD	0
BEAGLEBOARD X15 Precision Technology, Inc.	BEAGLEBOARD-X15 AM5729 EVAL BRD	0
R0K5562T0S000BE Renesas Electronics America	RX600 EVAL BRD	0
NUCLEO-WL55JC2 STMicroelectronics	STM32 NUCLEO-64 DEVELOPMENT BOAR	2
WIZWIKI-W7500 WIZnet	WIZWIKI W7500 EVAL BRD	13
C8051F040DK Silicon Labs	C8051F04X EVAL BRD	2
C8051T620DK Silicon Labs	C8051T620 EVAL BRD	1
HVP-KV10Z32 NXP Semiconductors	HIGH-VOLTAGE DEV PLATFORM KV1X	2
C8051F410DK Silicon Labs	C8051F41X EVAL BRD	16
RTK5RX65N2C00000BR Renesas Electronics America	RX65N EVAL BRD	14

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