Evaluation Boards - Expansion Boards, Daughter Cards

Part Number	Description / PDF	Quantity
MIKROE-3600 MikroElektronika	THERMO 11 CLICK	65
X-NUCLEO-IPS02A1 STMicroelectronics	24V INTELLIGENT POWER SWITCH EXP	18
410-265 Digilent, Inc.	PMODPMON1 POWER MONITOR	0
MIKROE-1431 MikroElektronika	BOARD FM CLICK TUNER ADD-ON	2
DEV-13995 SparkFun	TEENSY PROP SHIELD	17
410-270 Digilent, Inc.	PMODAMP3 STEREO POWER AMPLIFIER	7
2263 Adafruit	GPIO REFERENCE CARD FOR RASPBERR	0
SEN0365 DFRobot	DFROBOT AS7341 11-CHANNEL VISIBL	33
PIM355 Pimoroni	ENVIRO:BIT	62
B-LCD40-DSI1 STMicroelectronics	4-INCH WVGA TFT LCD BOARD WITH M	49
MIKROE-2218 MikroElektronika	6LOWPAN T CLICK	0
MIKROE-574 MikroElektronika	EASYWIFI BOARD	0
114991397 Seeed	FLICKHAT 3D TRACK & GESTURE HAT	0
X-NUCLEO-OUT02A1 STMicroelectronics	INDUSTRIAL DIGITAL OUTPUT EXPANS	16
0107-10-R1.2	IOT INTERFACE (MANGOH)	0
902-0145-001 ROBOTIS	U2D2 POWER HUB BOARD SET	2
DEV-13626 SparkFun	PHOTON BATTERY SHIELD 13626	5
EVAL-CN0350-PMDZ Analog Devices, Inc.	PMOD BOARD PIEZOELECTRIC DAS	11
ADD5043-868-2-GEVK Sanyo Semiconductor/ON Semiconductor	ADD-ON KIT FOR DVK-2	3
101020091 Seeed	GROVE MINI TRACK BALL	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