Evaluation Boards - Embedded

Evaluation Boards - Embedded - MCU, DSP

Part Number	Description / PDF	Quantity
80-000512 Critical Link	AM3359 EVAL BRD	0
902-0084-040 ROBOTIS	OPENCM9.04-C STM32F103CB EV BRD	151
SPC582B-DIS STMicroelectronics	DISCOVERY SPC582B EVAL BRD	0
DEV-16791 SparkFun	MICROMOD SAMD51 PROCESSOR	240
M5485HFEE Logic PD (Beacon EmbeddedWorks)	ZOOM MCF5485 EVAL BRD	0
MAX28200WEVKIT# Maxim Integrated	MAX28200 EVAL BRD	81
102110001 Seeed	BEAGLEBONE BLK REV C AM3358BZCZ	0
MIKROE-1002 MikroElektronika	EASYPIC PRO V7 EVAL BRD	0
NUCLEO-H743ZI2 STMicroelectronics	NUCLEO-144 BOARD STM32H743ZI	1267
TMDX5502EZDSP Texas Instruments	EZDSP TMS320VC5502 EVAL BRD	5
MIKROE-2657 MikroElektronika	MIKROLAB FOR PIC32 EVAL BD	0
PG22-DK2503A Silicon Labs	EFM32 PG22 32-BIT MCU DEV KIT	8
DM330013-2 Roving Networks / Microchip Technology	MICROSTICK II DSPIC33/24FJ/H/32	93
POCKETBEAGLE-SC-569 GHI Electronics, LLC	POCKETBEAGLE OSD3358 EVAL BRD	2453
MAC57D5-516DC NXP Semiconductors	MAC57D5XX EVAL BRD	0
MPC5534EVBE Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors)	MPC5534 EVAL BRD	0
BOOST5545ULP Texas Instruments	TMS320C5545 EVAL BRD	2
MAX32631-EVKIT# Maxim Integrated	MAX32631 EVAL BRD	46
MPC5604EEVB64 NXP Semiconductors	SPC5604 EVAL BRD	1
MIKROE-2567 MikroElektronika	CLICKER 2 DSPIC33EP512MU810	10

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