Evaluation Boards - Embedded

Evaluation Boards - Embedded - MCU, DSP

Part Number	Description / PDF	Quantity
STM32-COMSTICK STMicroelectronics	HITEX STM32-COMSTICK	0
STM32MP157A-EV1 STMicroelectronics	STM32MP157A EVAL BRD	13
NUCLEO-F070RB STMicroelectronics	NUCLEO-64 STM32F070RB EVAL BRD	6
STM3210B-SK/RAIS STMicroelectronics	RAISONANCE REVA STM32F103 EVAL	0
NUCLEO-F303K8 STMicroelectronics	NUCLEO-32 STM32F303K8 DEV EVAL	0
NUCLEO-F042K6 STMicroelectronics	NUCLEO-32 STM32F042K6 DEV EVAL	77
ST7FLITE-SK/RAIS STMicroelectronics	RAISONANCE REVA ST7/STM8 EVAL BD	0
STM32MP157A-DK1 STMicroelectronics	DISCOVERY STM32MP157A EVAL BRD	210
STM32G474E-EVAL1 STMicroelectronics	EVALUATION BOARD WITH STM32G474Q	5
SPC582B-DIS STMicroelectronics	DISCOVERY SPC582B EVAL BRD	0
NUCLEO-H743ZI2 STMicroelectronics	NUCLEO-144 BOARD STM32H743ZI	1267
NUCLEO-F429ZI STMicroelectronics	NUCLEO-144 STM32F429ZI EVAL BRD	428
STM8/128-EVAL STMicroelectronics	STM8S2XX EVAL BRD	1
NUCLEO-F446RE STMicroelectronics	NUCLEO-64 STM32F446RE DEV EVAL	361
NUCLEO-F302R8 STMicroelectronics	NUCLEO-64 STM32F302R8 EVAL BRD	37
NUCLEO-L010RB STMicroelectronics	STM32 NUCLEO-64 DEVELOPMENT BOAR	0
STM3210C-SK/KEIL STMicroelectronics	STM32F107 EVAL BRD	1
NUCLEO-H7A3ZI-Q STMicroelectronics	MCU & MPU EVAL TOOLS	206
NUCLEO-F072RB STMicroelectronics	NUCLEO-64 STM32F072RB EVAL BRD	0
SPC564AKIT324S STMicroelectronics	SPC564A 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