Evaluation Boards - Embedded

Evaluation Boards - Embedded - MCU, DSP

Part Number	Description / PDF	Quantity
NUCLEO-G071RB STMicroelectronics	NUCLEO-64 STM32G071 EVAL BRD	52
EKS-LM4F232 Texas Instruments	LM4F232 EVAL BRD	16
UEVM5432G-02-12-00	OMAP5432 EVAL BRD	22
CAPTIVATE-FR2676 Texas Instruments	CAPACITIVE TOUCH	13
114992604 Seeed	SIPEED MAIX-II DOCK - DEEP LEARN	24
DEVKIT-MPC5748G NXP Semiconductors	MPC5748G EVAL BRD	36
PIC-USB-STK Olimex	PIC18F4550 EVAL BRD	12
102010000 Seeed	SEEEDUINO ETHERNET ATMEGA328/WIZ	0
EFM32ZG-STK3200 Silicon Labs	EFM32ZG EVAL BRD	55
MIKROE-2643 MikroElektronika	MIKROLAB FOR PIC24 EVAL BRD	0
TOOLSTICK582DC Silicon Labs	TOOLSTICK C8051F58X/C8051F59X	4
AT91SAM9G35-EK Roving Networks / Microchip Technology	AT91SAM9G35 EVAL BRD	0
4870 Adafruit	ADAFRUIT NEO TRINKEY - SAMD21 US	0
DEV-IOT6U-000 EMAC, Inc.	INDUSTRIAL IOT DEV KIT	1
S5U1C17W04T2100 Epson	S1C17W04 EVAL BRD	2
OM11043,598 NXP Semiconductors	MBED LPC176X DEV EVAL BRD	101
P-L496G-CELL01 STMicroelectronics	DISCOVERY STM32L496AGI6 EVAL BRD	2
102110199 Seeed	SIPEED LICHEE NANO 16M BRD	26
SPC584B-DISP STMicroelectronics	DISCOVERY KIT FOR SPC584 B LINE	0
ATSAML22-XPRO-B Roving Networks / Microchip Technology	SAM L22 XPLAINED PRO ATSAML22	6

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