Evaluation Boards - Embedded

Evaluation Boards - Embedded - MCU, DSP

Part Number	Description / PDF	Quantity
STM32L152-SK/IAR STMicroelectronics	IAR KICKSTART STM32L EVAL BRD	1
PIS-0837 Pi Supply	ASUS TINKER BOARD S RK3288	35
FRDM-K64F NXP Semiconductors	FREEDOM K24/K63/K64 EVAL BRD	651
MIKROE-3835 MikroElektronika	MIKROMEDIA 7 CAPACITIVE FPI	3
703932-0001	APPBOX C21 W/ APPIO NOVOS MODULE	3
MIKROE-1770 MikroElektronika	EASYFT90X V7 EVAL BRD	0
HWD-MDM-00032 Rhomb.io	DUINO ZERO - SECURE IC	96
EVAL-ADUC842QS Analog Devices, Inc.	QUICKSTART ADUC842 EVAL BRD	47
STM32F769I-DISCO STMicroelectronics	DISCOVERY STM32F769 EVAL BRD	0
YSSKS7G2E30 Renesas Electronics America	SYNERGY S7G2 EVAL BRD	53
OM11029,598 NXP Semiconductors	LPC3152 EVAL BRD	10
MIKROE-2058 MikroElektronika	MIKROLAB FOR PIC BASIC EVAL BRD	0
STM32F3348-DISCO STMicroelectronics	DISCOVERY STM32F3348 EVAL BRD	71
MPC574XG-324DS NXP Semiconductors	MPC574XC/G EVAL BRD	1
DM240013-2 Roving Networks / Microchip Technology	PIC24F K-SERIES 5V MICROSTICK	17
TMDSCNCD28069MISO Texas Instruments	CONTROLCARD TMS320F28069M EVAL	9
ML610Q178 REFERENCE BOARD ROHM Semiconductor	ML610Q178 EVAL BRD	4
102110014 Seeed	ARCH MAX STM32F407 EVAL BRD	0
EVAL-ADUC7124QSPZ Analog Devices, Inc.	QUICKSTART PLUS ADUC7124 EVAL BD	1
RSD51M200BRK Rendeer Systems	RSD51M200 ATSAMD51P20 BREAKOUT	1

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