Evaluation Boards - Embedded

Evaluation Boards - Embedded - MCU, DSP

Part Number	Description / PDF	Quantity
DEV-13841 SparkFun	TESSEL 2 MT7620N/SAMD21 EVAL BRD	0
DV164122 Roving Networks / Microchip Technology	PICKIT SERIAL ANALYZER PIC16F886	17
V2M-JUNO-0317D Keil (ARM)	VERSATILE EXPRESS V2M-JUNO R2	1
MIKROE-707 MikroElektronika	MIKROBOARD PIC18F8520 EVAL BRD	0
TRK-KEA128 NXP Semiconductors	STARTERTRAK KEA128 EVAL BRD	2
SDK-DM3730-10-256512R Logic PD (Beacon EmbeddedWorks)	ZOOM AM37X/DM37X EVAL BRD	0
DM080104 Roving Networks / Microchip Technology	ATTINY1627 CURIOSITY NANO	11
STM8S-DISCOVERY STMicroelectronics	DISCOVERY STM8S105 EVAL BRD	0
OM13098UL NXP Semiconductors	LPCXPRESSO LPC54628 EVAL BRD	63
DEVKIT-ZVL128 NXP Semiconductors	S12ZVLA128 EVAL BRD	4
DK-DEV-5SGSMD5N Intel	5SGSMD5K2F40C2N EVAL BRD	2
OM13089UL NXP Semiconductors	LPCXPRESSO LPC54114 EVAL BRD	20
CY8CKIT-043 Cypress Semiconductor	PSOC 4200M EVAL BRD	86
TMDSCNCD28343 Texas Instruments	CONTROLCARD TMS320C28343 EVAL BD	4
NUCLEO-WB55RG STMicroelectronics	STM32 NUCLEO-64 DEVELOPMENT BOAR	18
MIKROE-1621 MikroElektronika	EASYMX PRO V7 TM4C123GH6PZL	0
MIMXRT1010-EVK NXP Semiconductors	I.MXRT1010 EVAL KIT	143
OM13093UL NXP Semiconductors	LPCXPRESSO LPC11C24 EVAL BRD	24
UPMU-F850-B-EK Silicon Labs	UDP C8051F850 EVAL BRD	1
A000093 Genuino (Arduino)	ARDUINO MICRO W/OUT HDRS ATMEGA3	400

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