Evaluation Boards - Expansion Boards, Daughter Cards

Part Number	Description / PDF	Quantity
4072 Adafruit	RFM69HCW 915MHZ RADIO BONNET	32
4384 Adafruit	TEENSY 4.0 AUDIO ADAPTER BOARD	30
3243 Adafruit	ASSEMBLED DC MOTOR + STEPPER FEA	48
4485 Adafruit	9 DOF IMU W/ ACCEL/GYRO/MAG	0
3813 Adafruit	ANIMATED EYES BONNET RASPBERRYPI	78
3625 Adafruit	1.54" TRI-COLOR EINK / EPAPER DI	15
4366 Adafruit	STEMMA QT / QWIIC TLV493D 3AXIS	52
2029B Adafruit	ASSEMBLED PI COBBLER	67
4816 Adafruit	ADAFRUIT BMP390 - PRECISION BARO	0
4885 Adafruit	ADAFRUIT SENSIRION SHT40 TEMPERA	111
4037 Adafruit	I2S AUDIO BONNET FOR RASPBERRY P	60
789 Adafruit	NFC/RFID CONTROLLER SHIELD	111
1779 Adafruit	OCTOWS2811 ADAPTER FOR TEENSY 3.	67
4686 Adafruit	ADAFRUIT TMP235 - PLUG-AND-PLAY	209
4899 Adafruit	SPI FLASH 512MB SD CARD SMT CHIP	0
4777 Adafruit	ADAFRUIT 2.9 GRAYSCALE EINK / EP	30
4570 Adafruit	DS1841 I2C DIGITAL 10K POTENTIOM	40
1411 Adafruit	PWM SERVO SHIELD 16CH 12BIT I2C	51
4280 Adafruit	DC & STEPPER MOTOR BONNET FOR RA	61
2090 Adafruit	2.8 TFT LCD WITH CAP TOUCH BREAK	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