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The meaning of the phrase "development board" has all but vanished in recent years, and it has been absorbed into the plethora of other hardware board terminology used to indicate development goals, such as "demonstration board," "evaluation kit," and "reference design."
We'll define "development board" (Figure 1) and describe how it differs from the closely related single-board computer in this post (SBC, or single-board computer). We also chart their evolution from the past to the present and explore possible future trends.
Figure. 1 Engineers working on an electronic development board.
To begin, a precise explanation of development boards and how they differ from single-board computers is required. Microcontroller makers frequently produce development boards to highlight their capabilities, even if they are now commonly useful for other sorts of components as well. A microcontroller is an integrated circuit featuring a processor, RAM, flash memory, and IO features that allow it to communicate with the outside world. It works like a miniature computer in a single package, and its goal is to give developers a simple way to interact with it and control other components like lights and small motors. Single-board computers also have this capability, but the CPU, RAM, and storage are all located in separate ICs on the board, and the interface allows it to be connected to a keyboard and/or display.
Microcontrollers are handled using an integrated development environment (IDE) provided by the vendor, whereas microprocessors on single-board computers require an operating system. Manufacturers are increasingly producing development boards with microcontrollers, but their primary function is to demonstrate the sensor or other integrated circuit that interfaces with it, rather than the microcontroller itself. Demonstration boards, evaluation kits, and reference designs are all terms used to describe these items. If they were put together to create a collection of several elements that serve a certain purpose.
Some boards are designed to provide access to real data that software developers require to establish and refine algorithms for artificial intelligence and machine learning applications. While these may not match the original description and function of a "development board," they are now referred to collectively as any hardware that can be used to develop new electronics hardware and software.
The Arduino (see Figure 1) was the first microcontroller development board to catch the attention of the electronics engineering community in 2006 when the prototype platform released at the time became known as the Arduino (see Figure 1). It quickly became popular among hobbyists, hobbyists, and DIYers. Many electronic designers, including engineers, use it. The Beagleboard, released in 2008, provided engineers with a low-cost, open-source community-supported development platform, laying the groundwork for the commercial success of later single-board computers and microcontroller-based systems. The Raspberry PI was the first single-board computer, that debuted in 2012, and it, like the Beagleboard, was developed as an educational platform to teach students how to code at a cheap cost. The Raspberry PI's appeal extends far beyond the student population, and it is swiftly adopted by both amateur and professional developers.
Single-board computers are now divided into two categories: proprietary and open-source. Typically, proprietary SBC s are created for end applications and pass comparable testing and quality assurance procedures as other end products. They're either built into the circuitry or installed in a rack. Users of open source SBCs can view their hardware designs and layouts, as well as any source code they utilize. Users may quickly and easily comprehend how software and hardware work, and then choose a design that matches their needs.
Today, development boards and single-board computers can be equipped with a wide range of processor types, ranging from X86 -based processors found in traditional PCs (AMD and Intel ) to ARM processors found in industrial and mobile applications, with Linux and its derivatives (Ubuntu, Fedora, Debian, etc.) being the most popular operating systems on SBCs. Microcontroller development boards do not require an operating system and are programmed using the manufacturer's integrated development environment (IDE). Microcontroller development boards and SBCs have grown to include wireless connectivity (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth ) as well as the newest audio and video interfaces, allowing some SBCs to compete with many PCs and tablets in terms of capability.
Manufacturers have traditionally created development tools as a marketing tool to boost the chances of selling a microcontroller to potential customers (a practice known as "design-in" in the industry). They expect that by making it easier for design engineers to access and study the part's capabilities in the lab, they will be more inclined to choose microcontrollers and auxiliary parts, and thus for an early product prototypes. If the part is chosen for mass production, a larger product order will be placed. This is a smart technique for some goods if the technical specification differences between parts from different sources are minor. However, for manufacturers, this strategy has in some respects become a victim of its own success. They recognize that they must continue to reduce the amount of effort required by engineers to utilize their products, and development boards have emerged as a crucial differentiator, particularly for products that are generally comparable to those of competitors.
Even for parts with apparent competitive advantages, like power or speed, design engineers are increasingly expecting "plug-and-play" accessibility from development boards.
Manufacturers can improve their value proposition even more by providing reference designs that include microcontrollers and other integrated circuits (usually sensors). These reference designs were originally meant to provide instructions on how to link devices to imitate the electrical function of the final product, with minimal attention paid to the form factor, design size, or simplicity of manufacture. Some manufacturers, on the other hand, have taken reference designs and turned them into full-fledged product prototypes or even totally functional goods.
This progression can be illustrated using the Health Sensor Platform (HSP) reference design from Maxim Integrated (now part of Analog Devices ). The first version of these reference designs is a small development board with a microcontroller that may be used to create various sensors (temperature, pressure, accelerometer, biopotential, etc.) ideal for health and fitness applications. HSP2.0 and HSP3.0, the company's next-generation products, already feature form factors that allow them to be worn on the wrist and resemble other wearables on the market (Figure 2).
Figure. 2 HSP3.0 from Maxim Integrated.
This allows developers to test their sensors' operation in real-world circumstances. These designs also allow open access to sensor readings to software developers (information not readily available to other health and fitness wearables). This strategy aims to make it easier to create machine learning and artificial intelligence algorithms that provide value to specific applications.
Maxim Integrated hopes that by demonstrating how hardware can make it easier for developers to access the data they need, they will be able to choose some (or all) of the ICs in their sensor solutions for their product designs. Maxim Integrated takes a similar approach in the development of products like the MAX Fitness Wrist and the MAX ECG Monitor, which are both reference designs that have been fully conceived and constructed to be fully functional wearable health and devices. However, while Maxim Integrated does not intend to sell directly to consumers, firms might work with the company to label products themselves in exchange for royalties.
Offering a completely functional product in this manner, with all of the development work already completed, is particularly appealing to new customers and a larger set of non-technical business customers. Thingy:91 from Nordic Semiconductor is another example of a development platform where the hardware is just an add-on that gives developers access to data, and they must write software and algorithms to exploit the hardware's intrinsic value (convenient to do so, take advantage of these Algorithms have become an obvious choice in new product design). This strategy may be used by more manufacturers in the future.
The use of development boards and single-board computers in general commercial products have become commonplace, but another emerging trend is that they will be used in smaller, but higher-value industrial end products, such as programmable logic controllers, which have stricter standards than their commercial counterparts.
Because the components they contain were initially created for the ultimate product, many of today's SBCs are essentially well-proven designs that have been tested and quality-proven. Furthermore, because open-source designs are constantly reviewed by a team of expert designers and programmers, the boards and software utilized are updated and evaluated.
Single-board computer boards are currently examined by high-quality design and manufacturing businesses, and they are subject to the same severe quality controls as any other end product, including the possibility of CE or FCC certification. This test procedure can also be simply modified to match the needs of industrial products.
Microcontroller development boards from manufacturers or third parties, on the other hand, while generally suitable for commercial products, do not typically undergo the rigorous testing required for industrial products, so manufacturers are not currently recommended for immediate use in these applications. use them (in their current form).
While some development boards feature industrial-quality components, most are just commercial grade and designed to operate at ambient temperature. Development board prototypes are frequently tested at room temperature for days or weeks, although there are no fixed guidelines, thus this is up to the manufacturer. Manufacturers' primary quality requirement is that their development boards function reliably at room temperature, so buyers should be aware that they are unlikely to be tested in extreme temperatures or humidity, nor are they typically subjected to associated stresses like strong vibration or shock.
As a result, while choosing a development board for an industrial application, the primary goal is to minimize risk. If you want to use a development board for industrial purposes, the components on it must be temperature-rated. It's also required to stress test numerous boards at high temperatures for several days. Similarly, if the board will be utilized in a high-humidity area, it must be tested under similar conditions. If the board will be utilized in a high-vibration environment, it should be vibration tested in a test frame.
Small businesses can use single-board computers and microcontroller development boards to swiftly bring designs to market without having to develop expensive new hardware. This frees them up to concentrate on software development and, increasingly, machine learning and artificial intelligence algorithms. Single-board computers and development boards have considerably outperformed their original expectations, and have had a significant impact on the electronics industry's recent history. Professional engineers and electronics amateurs alike will benefit from single-board computers as they grow more powerful, intelligent, and responsive.
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