Evaluation Boards - Embedded

Evaluation Boards - Embedded - MCU, DSP

Part Number	Description / PDF	Quantity
EV70C97A Roving Networks / Microchip Technology	PIC18F16Q40 CURIOSITY NANO EVALU	41
EV50J96A Roving Networks / Microchip Technology	ATTINY3217 CURIOSITY NANO BRD	21
DT100113 Roving Networks / Microchip Technology	PIC32MK MCJ CURIOSITY PRO	24
DM320004-2 Roving Networks / Microchip Technology	PIC32 ETHERNET STARTER KIT II	48
EV35L43A Roving Networks / Microchip Technology	AVR128DB48 CURIOSITY NANO EVALUA	25
DM164137 Roving Networks / Microchip Technology	CURIOSITY 8/14/20 PIN PIC EVAL	107
DM330027 Roving Networks / Microchip Technology	DSPIC33EDV64MC205 DEVELOPMENT BO	3
ATSAMA5D27-SOM1-EK1 Roving Networks / Microchip Technology	SAMA5D27 EVAL BRD	35
DM240018 Roving Networks / Microchip Technology	PIC24F CURIOSITY DEV BOARD	2
DM164144 Roving Networks / Microchip Technology	PIC16F18446 CURIOSITY NANO BRD	0
ATSAM4L8-XSTK Roving Networks / Microchip Technology	SAM4L8 XPLAINED PRO ATSAM4LC8	2
ATSAM4L8-XPRO Roving Networks / Microchip Technology	SAM4L8 XPLAINED PRO ATSAM4LC8	24
AC164164 Roving Networks / Microchip Technology	PIC-IOT WG GOOGLE CLOUD EVAL BRD	125
DM330026 Roving Networks / Microchip Technology	DSPIC33EP128GS808 EVAL BRD	13
AT32UC3L0-XPLD Roving Networks / Microchip Technology	UC3-L0 XPLAINED AT32UC3L016 EVAL	2
DM320107 Roving Networks / Microchip Technology	PIC32MM USB CURIOSITY EVAL BRD	6
ATSAMC21-XPRO Roving Networks / Microchip Technology	SAM C21 XPLAINED PRO ATSAMC21	38
DM320114 Roving Networks / Microchip Technology	SAMA5D36 EVAL BRD	0
ATSAMG55-XPRO Roving Networks / Microchip Technology	SAM G55 XPLAINED PRO ATSAMG55	26
AT91SAM9G10-EK2 Roving Networks / Microchip Technology	AT91SAM9G10 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