Evaluation Boards - Expansion Boards, Daughter Cards

Part Number	Description / PDF	Quantity
P0007 Terasic	DAUGHTER BOARD AD/DA GPIO ADA	5
MIKROE-2768 MikroElektronika	FRAM 2 CLICK	1
MIKROE-2525 MikroElektronika	AC CURRENT CLICK - BUNDLE	7
SEN0376 DFRobot	GRAVITY: ALCOHOL SENSOR (0-5PPM)	7
2865 Adafruit	ADAFRUIT NEOPIXEL SHIELD - 40 RG	6
SPX-17116 SparkFun	SERIAL FLASH BREAKOUT - BARE	0
T110061 Genuino (Arduino)	TINKERKIT TEXT LCD	0
MIKROE-946 MikroElektronika	BOARD ACCY MP3 CLICK MIKROBUS	5
S1000CS022 Pervasive Displays	ATMEL EPD XPLAINED PRO W. AURORA	0
COM-15168 SparkFun	QWIIC JOYSTICK BOARD	32
PIM527 Pimoroni	LED DOT MATRIX BREAKOUT GREEN	16
DFR0021-R DFRobot	GRAVITY:DIGITAL RED LED LIGHT MO	0
DEV-14430 SparkFun	ESP32 THING MOTION SHIELD	2
ASX00031 Genuino (Arduino)	BREAKOUTBOARD BOARD FOR PORTENTA	0
EVAL-CN0357-ARDZ Analog Devices, Inc.	SHIELD BOARD TOXIC GAS DETECTOR	1
101020636 Seeed	GROVE - 12-CHANNEL CAPACITIVE TO	0
SK-PIXXILCD-13P2-CTP-CLB 4D Systems	STARTER KIT FOR PIXXILCD-13P2-CT	6
PIM299 Pimoroni	INKY PHAT - RED/BLACK/WHITE EPD	25
MIKROE-3340 MikroElektronika	UART 1-WIRE CLICK	9
LS-00078 OSEPP Electronics	SERVO POWER BOARD UNASSEMBLED	129

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