Evaluation Boards - Expansion Boards, Daughter Cards

Part Number	Description / PDF	Quantity
2340 Adafruit	ADDON TOUCH HAT CAP RASPBERRY PI	1
4460 Adafruit	BINHO BREADBOARD BREAKOUT	0
4814 Adafruit	ADAFRUIT 2.13 HD TRI-COLOR EINK	37
4718 Adafruit	ADAFRUIT SPI NON-VOLATILE FRAM B	24
4535 Adafruit	HTS221 T&H BREAKOUT STEMMA QT /	52
4565 Adafruit	LSM6DSOX + LIS3MDL FEATHERWING -	38
2324 Adafruit	BOARD GPS HAT PI A+/B+/PI 2	182
4224 Adafruit	ADAFRUIT EINK BREAKOUT FRIEND WI	20
3632 Adafruit	JOY FEATHERWING FOR ALL FEATHERS	64
4374 Adafruit	ADAFRUIT BRAINCRAFT HAT - MACHIN	18
4868 Adafruit	ADAFRUIT 1.54 TRI-COLOR EINK / E	0
4462 Adafruit	BINHO QWIIC / STEMMA QT BOARD	0
4417 Adafruit	SONY SPRESENSE 5MP CAMERA BOARD	0
4363 Adafruit	AIRLIFT BITSY ADD-ON ESP32 WIF	93
1937 Adafruit	SPY CAMERA FOR RASPBERRY PI	77
4765 Adafruit	LAUNCHPAD BRKOUT MICRO:BIT/CLUE	197
4119 Adafruit	8X16 CHARLIEPLEX LED YELLOW	19
3611 Adafruit	ADAFRUIT STEMMA - TSL2561 DIGITA	0
4314 Adafruit	ATECC608 BREAKOUT BOARD - STEMMA	58
4484 Adafruit	MINI PITFT 1.3" FOR RASPBERRY PI	144

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