Evaluation Boards - Expansion Boards, Daughter Cards

Part Number	Description / PDF	Quantity
MIKROE-2627 MikroElektronika	CAN ISOLATOR CLICK	4
VIDIO-12G-A Nextera Video	12G SDI FMC DAUGHTER CARD-INTEL	48
DEV-16525 SparkFun	ALCHITRY IO ELEMENT BOARD	0
MIKROE-2880 MikroElektronika	SHUTTLE CLICK	13
DFR0680 DFRobot	SONY SPRESENSE EXTENSION BOARD	0
103030035 Seeed	GROVE BASE CAPE FOR BEAGLEBONE	0
MIKROE-986 MikroElektronika	BOARD ACCY CAN-SPI CLICK 3.3V	171
DEV-14459 SparkFun	QWIIC HAT FOR RASPBERRY PI	36
101020047 Seeed	GROVE I2C TOUCH SENSOR	0
B-F446E-96B01A STMicroelectronics	SENSOR BOARD WITH STM32F446VET6	3
MIKROE-3686 MikroElektronika	AMBIENT 3 CLICK	4
DEV-15096 SparkFun	SPARKFUN SERIAL BASIC BREAKOUT -	97
MIKROE-3075 MikroElektronika	ACCEL 6 CLICK	7
BOB-13989 SparkFun	MICRO:BIT BREAKOUT (WITH HEADERS	287
MIKROE-2690 MikroElektronika	ADAC CLICK	10
BOOSTXL-DRV8320S Texas Instruments	EVALUATION MODULE	4
DEV-14437 SparkFun	MINI DOCK FOR ONION OMEGA	0
1780 Adafruit	AUDIO ADAPTER BOARD FOR TEENSY 3	0
410-353 Digilent, Inc.	PMOD CAN CONTROLLER MCP25625	28
PIM036 Pimoroni	FLOTILLA - MOTOR	2

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