Evaluation Boards - Embedded

Evaluation Boards - Embedded - MCU, DSP

Part Number	Description / PDF	Quantity
MIKROE-2502 MikroElektronika	CLICKER 2 MSP432 EVAL BRD	0
MIKROE-762 MikroElektronika	SMARTGLCD PIC18F87K22 EVAL BRD	1
MIKROE-4030 MikroElektronika	MCU CARD 2 FOR PIC PIC18F85K22	5
MIKROE-3876 MikroElektronika	MCU CARD 13 FOR STM32 STM32L4S5Z	3
MIKROE-4568 MikroElektronika	MCU CARD PIC32 PIC32MX675F512L	0
MIKROE-455 MikroElektronika	EASY8051 V6 AT89S8253 EVAL BRD	5
MIKROE-4174 MikroElektronika	MIKROMEDIA 4 FOR TIVA CAPACITIVE	3
MIKROE-2642 MikroElektronika	MIKROLAB FOR PIC18FK EVAL BD	0
MIKROE-3896 MikroElektronika	MIKROMEDIA 5 FOR STM32F7	5
MIKROE-2655 MikroElektronika	MIKROLAB FOR PIC32 EVAL BD	0
MIKROE-995 MikroElektronika	EASYPIC PRO V7 PIC18F87K22 EVAL	1
MIKROE-798 MikroElektronika	EASYPIC V7 PIC18F45K22 EVAL BRD	9
MIKROE-2707 MikroElektronika	FLIP & CLICK PIC32MZ EVAL BRD	5
MIKROE-2016 MikroElektronika	MIKROLAB FOR STM32 STM32 EVAL BD	0
MIKROE-1385 MikroElektronika	EASYAVR V7 AVR EVAL BRD	3
MIKROE-1109 MikroElektronika	EASYMX PRO V7 STM32 EVAL BRD	0
MIKROE-1516 MikroElektronika	EASYPIC FUSION V7 24FJ128GA310	1
MIKROE-449 MikroElektronika	DSPIC-READY1 DSPIC30F EVAL BRD	0
MIKROE-4029 MikroElektronika	MCU CARD 2 FOR PIC PIC18F86K22	5
MIKROE-2085 MikroElektronika	MIKROMEDIA STM32 F7 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