What Are Carrier Boards—and Why Should You Care?

Carrier boards rarely steal the spotlight. But if you’re working with embedded systems, they’re the unsung heroes doing the heavy lifting behind the scenes. A carrier board transforms a compute module—like the NVIDIA Jetson—into a fully functional system by providing essential interfaces for real-world applications, such as power regulation, I/O, Ethernet, USB, storage, camera inputs, and serial buses. The module processes; the carrier board connects. 

This critical layer turns raw compute power into a deployable product. 

A carrier board is a hardware platform that integrates a compute module, such as the NVIDIA Jetson, with the necessary interfaces to operate in real-world environments. It provides power management, connectivity options (like USB, Ethernet, and serial ports), and support for peripherals like cameras and sensors. Essentially, it’s the bridge that makes embedded systems functional and field-ready. 

Carrier boards enable the practical deployment of embedded systems by addressing real-world challenges. They ensure systems can handle diverse environments and operational demands, from power conditioning to peripheral integration. By facilitating connectivity and reliability, carrier boards lay the foundation for advanced applications in IoT, edge AI, and industrial automation. 

Embedded and IoT devices often face harsh conditions—vibration, dust, electrical noise, and extreme temperatures. Whether mounted in vehicles, cabinets, poles, or drones, these systems rely on carrier boards to perform reliably. The carrier board manages power conditioning, determines compatible sensors and peripherals, and ensures secure, high-speed data transfer. From form factor to field reliability, the carrier board shapes the system’s success. 

As edge AI workloads—like AI inference, vision analytics, and sensor fusion—grow, compact yet powerful compute platforms are essential. The NVIDIA Jetson family, particularly the Jetson Orin series, delivers high performance in a small footprint. However, a Jetson module alone isn’t enough for deployment. Carrier boards make it field-ready by supporting industrial power supplies, managing heat dissipation, and connecting to sensors, cameras, and networks. The module’s performance shines only when paired with a capable carrier board. 

Carrier boards power a wide range of applications: 

In each case, the carrier board’s design impacts connectivity, performance, and long-term maintainability. 

Discover how our carrier boards enable real-time emissions monitoring in the oil and gas industry by exploring our FORECR & CleanConnect.ai Success Story. 

Not every project needs a custom carrier board, but every deployment requires one that matches the system’s operational demands. Selecting the right carrier board involves evaluating your environment, constraints, and interface needs. Consider these key factors: 

• Form factor: Does it fit your mechanical design or enclosure? 
• Power compatibility: Can it handle your input range and power source? 
• I/O and expansion: Are the necessary ports (USB, Ethernet, MIPI, GPIO, etc.) available and correctly positioned? 
• Software support: Does the board include a reliable BSP and long-term kernel support? 
• Thermal management: Is the board designed for proper heat flow and dissipation? 
• Ruggedization: Can it withstand vibration, EMI, and temperature swings? 

Choosing the right carrier board streamlines integration, while the wrong one can lead to months of workarounds. 

Before you commit, ask yourself—and your supplier—the following. Each of these questions surfaces a potential risk area in deployment. Skipping them early often means fixing problems late. 

At FORECR, we design carrier boards around NVIDIA Jetson modules, tailored for real-world deployment. Our platforms address industrial challenges like space constraints, I/O complexity, and long-term serviceability. Explore our carrier board lineup: 

Each platform is grounded in real deployment feedback—from integrators who need reliability, from developers who need flexibility, and from operations teams who can't afford downtime. 

With the right carrier board, your embedded system can meet the demands of real-world deployment, turning advanced technology into tangible, reliable solutions.