Evaluation Boards - Expansion Boards, Daughter Cards

Part Number	Description / PDF	Quantity
MIKROE-1421 MikroElektronika	BOARD COMMUNICATION FTDI CLICK	5
114990852 Seeed	CRAZYFLIE MICRO SD CARD DECK	0
MIKROE-4414 MikroElektronika	DIGI POT 7 CLICK	3
MOD-NRF8001 Olimex	UEXT BOARD NRF8001 BLE	0
IB-PIZ Datawave Wireless	RASPBERRY PI INTERFACE BOARD FOR	69
DEV-16885 SparkFun	MICROMOD ATP CARRIER BOARD	29
MIKROE-1898 MikroElektronika	DEV BOARD PWM CLICK	1
MIKROE-3456 MikroElektronika	RTC 8 CLICK	27
MIKROE-1767 MikroElektronika	DEV BOARD RASPYPLAY4	0
105020003 Seeed	GROVE VIBRATION MOTOR	49
MIKROE-2045 MikroElektronika	GNSS 4 CLICK	7
ASD2201-R TinyCircuits	TINYSHIELDMICROSDADAPTER	4
AST1008 TinyCircuits	IR RECEIVER BOARD 38K WIRELING	47
101020639 Seeed	GROVE 3AXIS DIGITAL ACCELEROMETE	9
PIS-1274 Pi Supply	OCTOPUS ANALOG NOISE SOUND SENSO	38
MIKROE-3933 MikroElektronika	CAN FD CLICK	5
PIM412 Pimoroni	AS7262 6-CHANNEL SPECTRAL SENSOR	4
PIS-1357 Pi Supply	RASPBERRY PI EXPANDER ADC DAC RT	10
SEN0359 DFRobot	GRAVITY:CAPACITIVE FINGERPRINT S	6
LCD-16397 SparkFun	SPARKFUN 16X2 SERLCD - RGB TEXT	34

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