Evaluation Boards - Embedded

Evaluation Boards - Embedded - MCU, DSP

Part Number	Description / PDF	Quantity
DEV-14713 SparkFun	THING PLUS - SAMD51	32
MIKROE-766 MikroElektronika	BRD READY PIC PIC18F45K22 EVAL	8
EVAL-ADUCM420QSP1Z Analog Devices, Inc.	WLCSP APPS BOARD PACKAGE	0
OM13034,598 NXP Semiconductors	IAR KICKSTART LPC1347 EVAL BRD	6
MIKROE-3834 MikroElektronika	MIKROMEDIA 7 CAPACITIVE FPI WITH	2
SK-FM0-V48-S6E1A1 Cypress Semiconductor	S6E1A1 EVAL BRD	9
STM32-COMSTICK STMicroelectronics	HITEX STM32-COMSTICK	0
MAXQ610-KIT# Maxim Integrated	MAXQ610 EVAL BRD	4
STM32MP157A-EV1 STMicroelectronics	STM32MP157A EVAL BRD	13
NUCLEO-F070RB STMicroelectronics	NUCLEO-64 STM32F070RB EVAL BRD	6
102110237 Seeed	ROC-RK3308-CC QUAD-CORE 64-BIT A	8
903-0257-000 ROBOTIS	OPENCR1.0 STM32F746ZG EVAL BOARD	36
M100 Texas Edge Computing	MOJAVE HIGH TEMPERATURE CTRL	50
OM40003UL NXP Semiconductors	LPCXPRESSO LPC54018 EVAL BRD	7
STM3210B-SK/RAIS STMicroelectronics	RAISONANCE REVA STM32F103 EVAL	0
TWR-K80F150M NXP Semiconductors	TOWER SYSTEM K80/K81/K82 EVAL BD	0
LAUNCHXL-TMS57004 Texas Instruments	LAUNCHPAD TMS570LS EVAL BRD	52
IMX233-OLINUXINO-MICRO Olimex	OLINUXINO I.MX233 EVAL BRD	0
Z8F16800144ZCOG Zilog / Littelfuse	Z8F642 EVAL BRD	2
MIKROE-1872 MikroElektronika	EASYFT90X V7 EVAL BRD	0

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