Evaluation Boards - Expansion Boards, Daughter Cards

Part Number	Description / PDF	Quantity
CAM008 Pimoroni	70 NIGHT VISION CAMERA MODULE FO	13
ASD2511-R-N-T-P-L TinyCircuits	COMBO SENSOR TINYSHIELD (13-DOF)	13
EVAL-AD8302-ARDZ Analog Devices, Inc.	ARDUINO SHIELD FOR AD8302 DC TO	4
DFR0052 DFRobot	GRAVITY: DIGITAL PIEZO DISK VIBR	6
101020752 Seeed	GROVE - TURBIDITY SENSOR (METER)	39
MIKROE-2064 MikroElektronika	STRETCH CLICK	0
ASD2162-R TinyCircuits	433MHZLONGRANGERADIO TINYSHIELD	4
MIKROE-2586 MikroElektronika	IQRF CLICK	0
AC320004-6 Roving Networks / Microchip Technology	KSZ8061 PHY DAUGHTER BOARD	0
410-373 Digilent, Inc.	ANALOG DISCOVERY 2 BREAKOUT BRD	115
SEN-12589 SparkFun	SPARKFUN REDBOT SENSOR ACCEL	0
PIM037 Pimoroni	FLOTILLA SLIDER W/ LEDS	13
MIKROE-2748 MikroElektronika	STEPPER 4 CLICK	0
SHIELDBTF3050TETOBO1 IR (Infineon Technologies)	SHIELD FOR ARDUINO W/BTF3050TE	12
MIKROE-1589 MikroElektronika	DEV BOARD MOTION	10
789 Adafruit	NFC/RFID CONTROLLER SHIELD	111
410-255 Digilent, Inc.	PMODACL2 3AXIS ADXL362	11
MIKROE-4106 MikroElektronika	TMR MIX-SENS CLICK	12
SEN0185 DFRobot	GRAVITY: DIGITAL HALL SENSOR	17
113990044 Seeed	TESSEL RFID 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