Evaluation Boards - Embedded

Evaluation Boards - Embedded - MCU, DSP

Part Number	Description / PDF	Quantity
SYG-S7G2-43C-MDK Future Designs, Inc.	SYNERGY S7G2 EVAL BRD	4
3458 Adafruit	FEATHER 328P ATMEGA328P EVAL BRD	12
MIKROE-671 MikroElektronika	MINI-AT ATMEGA328 EVAL BRD	3
ATSAME54-XPRO Roving Networks / Microchip Technology	SAM E54 XPLAINED PRO ATSAME54	83
NT-NANO130K Nuvoton Technology Corporation America	NANO110/NANO130 EVAL BRD	5
DM164120-4 Roving Networks / Microchip Technology	PICKIT 18-PIN PIC16F1827 EVAL BD	0
EVAL-ADAU1701MINIZ Analog Devices, Inc.	ADAU1701 EVAL BRD	36
MIKROE-3519 MikroElektronika	FUSION FOR ARM V8 CEC	3
NT-NANO100K Nuvoton Technology Corporation America	NANO100 EVAL BRD	0
MIKROE-1290 MikroElektronika	EASYPIC FUSION V7 EVAL BRD	0
KPB-02013-001.A5 Phytec America	PHYCORE-I.MX6ULL SEGIN SBC	9
DC-ME-9210-LX Digi	JUMPSTART DIGI CONN ME 9210 MOD	0
DM164140 Roving Networks / Microchip Technology	MPLAB XPRESS PIC16F18855 EVAL BD	35
MIKROE-44 MikroElektronika	EASYPSOC4 CY8C27643 EVAL BRD	0
MSP-EXP430FG4618 Texas Instruments	EXPERIMENTER MSP430FG4618/F2013	16
DFR0419 DFRobot	LATTEPANDA 4GB/64GB NOWIN10 KEY	48
STM32F746G-DISCO STMicroelectronics	DISCOVERY STM32 F7 EVAL BRD	491
MIKROE-3531 MikroElektronika	MCU CARD 22 FOR STM32 STM32F373V	3
ZIO-102034 Smart Prototyping/NOA Labs	ZIO QWIIC MICROPYTHON BOARD V1.1	19
DM320103 Roving Networks / Microchip Technology	PIC32MX470 CURIOSITY EVAL BRD	28

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