Evaluation Boards - Expansion Boards, Daughter Cards

Part Number	Description / PDF	Quantity
4428 Adafruit	TRI-COLOR E-INK GIZMO AUDIO AMP	35
1947 Adafruit	2.8" TFT CAPACITIVE TOUCH SHIELD	100
4517 Adafruit	LSM6DSOX + LIS3MDL 9 DOF IMU	163
3651 Adafruit	3.5" 480X320 TOUCHSCREEN FOR FEA	28
3653 Adafruit	WINC1500 WIFI SHIELD WITH PCB AN	19
3089 Adafruit	0.54" 4-DIGIT 14-SEGMENT W/O LED	0
2348 Adafruit	DC STEP MTR HAT FOR RASPBERRY PI	166
2884 Adafruit	FEATHERWING PROTO - PROTOTYPING	292
3508 Adafruit	ZERO SPY CAMERA FOR RASPBERRY PI	185
4393 Adafruit	MINI PITFT COLOR TFT FOR RAS PI	5
4739 Adafruit	MPM3610 5V BUCK CONVERTER BREAKO	112
1983 Adafruit	TOUCHSCRN TFT PITFT 320X240 2.8"	0
4089 Adafruit	ADT7410 HIGH ACCURACY I2C TEMPER	62
2441 Adafruit	DISPLAY PITFT PLUS 480X320 3.5	311
2636 Adafruit	FONA 808 SHIELD GSM/GPS	7
4947 Adafruit	ADAFRUIT 2.13 250X122 TRI-COLOR	0
3045 Adafruit	ASSEMBLED ADAFRUIT FEATHERWING O	175
3695 Adafruit	DRAGONTAIL FOR MICRO:BIT - FULLY	0
4654 Adafruit	MINIBOOST 5V @ 1A - TPS61023	42
249 Adafruit	DATA-LOGGER PACK LIGHT/TEMP	4

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