Evaluation Boards - Expansion Boards, Daughter Cards

Part Number	Description / PDF	Quantity
101020043 Seeed	GROVE UV SENSOR	5
109990287 Seeed	DV DUALBAND RADIO SHIELD FOR ARD	0
103030032 Seeed	GROVE BREAKOUT FOR LINKIT SMART7	4
101020753 Seeed	GROVE - TDS SENSOR/METER FOR WAT	26
104990262 Seeed	5 INCH BEAGLEBONE GREEN LCD CAPE	1
101990281 Seeed	PYTRACK	0
101020054 Seeed	GROVE 3AXIS DIGITAL ACCELEROM	297
114020121 Seeed	GROVE 3-AXIS DIGITAL ACCEL LIS3D	36
103100123 Seeed	MT3620 GROVE BREAKOUT	52
101990280 Seeed	PYSENSE	0
101020067 Seeed	GROVE CO2 SENSOR	23
101020252 Seeed	GROVE - IMU 10DOF V2.0	41
101990016 Seeed	TESSEL ACCELEROMETER MODULE	0
113100004 Seeed	ROCK PI WIRELESS MODULE A3- WIRE	0
103990183 Seeed	ARTIK INTERFACE II BOARD	2
113990454 Seeed	LTE PI HAT CAT.1 LARAR204 VZW	0
114020001 Seeed	GROVEPI ZEROGROVEPI0	33
102990228 Seeed	CRAZYFLIE 2.0 BUZZER DECK BOARD	0
111100001 Seeed	DOCKERPI 4 CHANNEL RELAY	14
101020076 Seeed	GROVE LUMINANCE SENSOR	16

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