Evaluation Boards - Embedded

Evaluation Boards - Embedded - MCU, DSP

Part Number	Description / PDF	Quantity
EV-ADUCM322IQSPZ Analog Devices, Inc.	QUICKSTART PLUS ADUCM322I EVAL	1
ADZS-BF518F-EZBRD Analog Devices, Inc.	EZ-BOARD BF512F/14F/16F/18F	0
ADZS-21469-EZLITE Analog Devices, Inc.	EZ-KIT LITE ADSP-2146X EVAL BRD	1
EVAL-ADUCM363QSPZ Analog Devices, Inc.	QUICKSTART PLUS ADUCM363 EVAL BD	1
EVAL-ADUC7026QSPZ Analog Devices, Inc.	QUICKSTART PLUS ADUC7026 EVAL BD	0
EVAL-ADUC7020MKZ Analog Devices, Inc.	MINIKIT ADUC7020 EVAL BRD	3
EVAL-ADAU1701MINIZ Analog Devices, Inc.	ADAU1701 EVAL BRD	36
ADZS-BF526-EZLITE Analog Devices, Inc.	EZ-KIT LITE ADSP-BF526 EVAL BRD	0
ADZS-BF548-EZLITE Analog Devices, Inc.	EZ-KIT LITE ADSP-BF548 EVAL BRD	0
EVAL-ADUCM420QSP1Z Analog Devices, Inc.	WLCSP APPS BOARD PACKAGE	0
EV-21569-SOM Analog Devices, Inc.	ADSP-21569 SYSTEM ON MODULE EVAL	1
EV-COG-AD4050LZ Analog Devices, Inc.	ADUCM4050 EVAL BRD	11
EVAL-ADUC7128QSPZ Analog Devices, Inc.	QUICKSTART PLUS ADUC71XX EVAL BD	0
ADZS-BF537-STAMP Analog Devices, Inc.	ADSP-BF537 EVAL BRD	2
EV-COG-AD3029LZ Analog Devices, Inc.	ADUCM3029 EVAL BRD	9
ADZS-21489-EZLITE Analog Devices, Inc.	EZ-KIT LITE ADSP-2148X EVAL BRD	14
EVAL-ADUC814QSZ Analog Devices, Inc.	QUICKSTART ADUC814 EVAL BRD	1
EVAL-ADUC841QSZ Analog Devices, Inc.	QUICKSTART ADUC841 EVAL BRD	6
ADZS-BF561-EZLITE Analog Devices, Inc.	EZ-KIT LITE ADSP-BF561 EVAL BRD	1
EVAL-ADUC7023QSPZ1 Analog Devices, Inc.	QUICKSTART PLUS ADUC7023 EVAL BD	2

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