Evaluation Boards - Expansion Boards, Daughter Cards

Part Number	Description / PDF	Quantity
MIKROE-2535 MikroElektronika	4G LTE-NA CLICK NORTH AMERICA	0
108070022 Seeed	MDDS30 CYTRON SMARTDRIVEDUO-30	13
POE-GEVB Sanyo Semiconductor/ON Semiconductor	POE SHIELD	1
4TR-ROBOHAT Pimoroni	ROBOHAT - COMPLETE ROBOTICS CONT	0
5601 Kitronik	EDGE CONNECTOR BREAKOUT BOARD FO	13
AC320213 Roving Networks / Microchip Technology	24 BIT PASS THROUGH GFX CARD	4
SEN0253 DFRobot	GRAVITY INTELLIGENT 10DOF AHRS	36
STEVAL-IDI009V1 STMicroelectronics	EVAL BOARD PIR SENSOR	13
BOOSTXL-TLV8544PIR Texas Instruments	DEMO MODULE	3
114992264 Seeed	IMX219-160IR 8MP CAMERA WITH 160	40
8MIC-RPI-MX8 NXP Semiconductors	8 MICROPHONE BOARD FOR VOICE	30
MIKROE-4333 MikroElektronika	DC MOTOR 16 CLICK	5
410-261 Digilent, Inc.	PMODDIP - DIP TO PMOD ADAPTER	8
MIKROE-1396 MikroElektronika	BOARD ADD-ON CURRENT CLICK	1
MCC 172	IEPE MEASUREMENT DAQ HAT	0
DEV-13262 SparkFun	SHIELD CAN-BUS 13262	76
POL-3750 Pimoroni	POLOLU DUAL G2 HIGH-POWER MOTOR	0
PIMINIPCIER10 5G Hub	RASPBERRY PI HAT FOR MINIPCIE IO	99
MIKROE-2375 MikroElektronika	SPEAKUP 2 CLICK	0
TEL0118 DFRobot	GRAVITY: UART OBLOQ IOT MODULE (	0

Evaluation Boards - Expansion Boards, Daughter Cards

1. Overview

Evaluation Boards (EVBs), Expansion Boards, and Daughter Cards are essential hardware tools for embedded system development, prototyping, and testing. These platforms enable engineers to assess processor capabilities, interface peripherals, and validate designs before mass production. Their modular architecture supports rapid innovation in IoT, automotive, industrial automation, and consumer electronics sectors.

2. Main Types and Functional Classification

Type	Functional Features	Application Examples
Microcontroller EVBs	ARM/FPGA SoC integration, onboard sensors, debug interfaces	IoT edge devices, smart sensors
Expansion Boards	Standard interfaces (PCIe, USB-C), protocol converters	Industrial gateways, communication modules
Daughter Cards	Specialized functionality modules (ADC/DAC, RF transceivers)	Medical imaging equipment, test instruments
Programmer Kits	Flash programming, JTAG/SWD debugging, voltage monitoring	Automotive ECUs, aerospace controllers

3. Structure and Components

Typical architecture includes:

Multi-layer PCB with high-speed traces
Processor sockets or soldered-down SoCs
Standardized connectors (2.54mm headers, M.2)
Onboard memory (RAM, Flash storage)
Power management ICs and voltage regulators
Debug interfaces (SWD, JTAG, UART)

4. Key Technical Specifications

Parameter	Description
Clock Speed	Determines processing capability (1MHz-2GHz range)
Bus Width	Memory bandwidth (8/16/32-bit configurations)
Interface Support	USB 3.0, Ethernet, CAN, SPI/I2C compatibility
Power Consumption	Typical range: 0.5W-25W (varies with workload)
Operating Temperature	Industrial (-40 C to +85 C) or commercial grade

5. Application Areas

Major industries include:

Telecommunications (5G base stations, optical transceivers)
Medical equipment (MRI scanners, patient monitors)
Industrial automation (PLC controllers, robotics)
Consumer electronics (smart home devices, wearables)
Automotive (ADAS systems, V2X communication)

6. Leading Manufacturers and Products

Vendor	Product Series
Xilinx	Zynq UltraScale+ MPSoC Evaluation Kit
Intel	Stratix 10 GX FPGA Development Board
STMicroelectronics	STM32 Nucleo Expansion Boards
Texas Instruments	Processor DKx Daughter Cards

7. Selection Guidelines

Key considerations:

Match SoC architecture to target application requirements
Verify interface compatibility with existing systems
Evaluate available ecosystem (IDE support, middleware)
Consider power budget and thermal management needs
Assess long-term availability and RoHS compliance

8. Industry Trends

Future developments include:

Integration of AI accelerators (NPU modules)
Adoption of 5nm/3nm process technologies
Expansion of RISC-V based evaluation platforms
Increased focus on functional safety (ISO 26262 compliance)
Growing adoption of modular "Lego-style" prototyping systems