Evaluation Boards - Expansion Boards, Daughter Cards

Part Number	Description / PDF	Quantity
410-265 Digilent, Inc.	PMODPMON1 POWER MONITOR	0
410-270 Digilent, Inc.	PMODAMP3 STEREO POWER AMPLIFIER	7
410-094 Digilent, Inc.	PMODPS2 KEYBOARD/MOUSE CONNECTOR	0
410-215 Digilent, Inc.	BOARD PMODGYRO FOR L3G4200D	1
410-241 Digilent, Inc.	PMODDA3 SINGLE 16-BIT DAC MODULE	3
410-356 Digilent, Inc.	DMM SHIELD	12
410-345 Digilent, Inc.	PMOD VGA: VIDEO GRAPHICS ARRAY	40
410-082 Digilent, Inc.	PMODCON3 SERVO CONNECTOR MODULE	3
410-373 Digilent, Inc.	ANALOG DISCOVERY 2 BREAKOUT BRD	115
410-255 Digilent, Inc.	PMODACL2 3AXIS ADXL362	11
410-086 Digilent, Inc.	PMODLS1 SENSOR INTERFACE MODULE	1
410-117 Digilent, Inc.	PMODENC ROTARY ENCODER	27
410-353 Digilent, Inc.	PMOD CAN CONTROLLER MCP25625	28
410-208 Digilent, Inc.	PMODNIC100 ETHERNET INTERFACE	34
410-069 Digilent, Inc.	BOARD PMODHB3 2A H-BRIDGE MODULE	5
410-312 Digilent, Inc.	PMODMIC3 ADCS7476 DEV	17
410-342 Digilent, Inc.	PMOD SSR: SOLID STATE RELAY	15
410-214 Digilent, Inc.	BOARD PMODBT2 FOR RN-42	19
410-325 Digilent, Inc.	PMODISNS20 BOARD	7
410-125 Digilent, Inc.	PMODOD1 OPEN DRAIN OUTPUT MODULE	12

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