Evaluation Boards - Expansion Boards, Daughter Cards

Part Number	Description / PDF	Quantity
SEN0219 DFRobot	GRAVITY: ANALOG INFRARED CO2 SEN	0
MIKROE-1720 MikroElektronika	GSM3 CLICK	0
MIKROE-3149 MikroElektronika	ACCEL 5 CLICK	44
114990111 Seeed	CRAZYFLIE 2.0 BREAKOUT BOARD	0
PIS-1271 Pi Supply	OCTOPUS RAIN/STEAM SENSOR	19
MIKROE-1718 MikroElektronika	DEV BOARD ETH WIZ CLICK	34
IWR1843BOOST Texas Instruments	IWR1843 BOOSTER PACK	12270
MOTG-WIFI 4D Systems	MOD MOTG WIFI GEN4	2
K053 M5Stack	ATOM MOTION KIT WITH MOTOR AND S	0
SEN0018 DFRobot	DIGITAL INFRARED MOTION SENSOR	15
4493 Adafruit	STEMMA POTENTIOMETER 10K OHM LIN	63
X-NUCLEO-6180XA1 STMicroelectronics	NUCLEO BOARD VL6180X SENSOR	18
101020039 Seeed	GROVE 3AXIS DIGITAL ACCELEROM	5
MIKROE-2810 MikroElektronika	USB UART 4 CLICK	3
MIKROE-3124 MikroElektronika	BOOST-INV CLICK	2
MIKROE-1853 MikroElektronika	BOARD TILT N SHAKE CLICK	0
DFR0031-W DFRobot	GRAVITY: DIGITAL PIRANHA LED MOD	0
MIKROE-2539 MikroElektronika	GRID-EYE CLICK	6
DPP202Z000 TE Connectivity Measurement Specialties	PMOD TSYS02D	11
410-222 Digilent, Inc.	PMODOLED ORGANIC LED DISPLAY	43

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