WQ Summer 2016 PDF

quarter 2 | summer 2016
Cover story
Building the
BBC micro:bit
Eddystone strengthens
beacon security
What’s next for
semiconductors?
SPECIAL
SUPPLEMENT
A decade of
ultra low power
wireless
2006 to 2016
Opinion QUARTER 2 | SUMMER 2016
Geir Langeland COVER STORY

Building the
BBC micro:bit
beacon security
What’s next for
semiconductors?
Internet of Things promises

SPECIAL
SUPPLEMENT
A decade of
ultra low power
wireless
2006 to 2016
to democratize connectivity
The BBC micro:bit is now in
the hands of a future generation
of engineers
T
he success of a company depends on things like skilled staff, visionary management, investment
in R&D, and of course, products that people want, plus a little luck. I’m not suggesting that Nordic ULP Wireless Q is published
Semiconductor is perfect, like other companies we’ve made some wrong turns, but over the last on behalf of Nordic
decade we have got many of those success factors about right. That’s propelled the company Semiconductor by Ecritech
from a healthy, niche supplier of proprietary ultra low power (ULP) wireless technology to the forefront of www.ecritech.com
the Bluetooth low energy segment.
Editor
To coincide with the tenth anniversary of ULP Wireless Q, first published back in June 2006 (just as
Steven Keeping
Nordic was teaming up with Nokia and other enterprising firms to form an alliance to develop a e-mail: steven@ecritech.com
smartphone-friendly form of ULP wireless called Wibree, the predecessor of Bluetooth low energy) this
Assistant Editor
edition includes a special eight-page anniversary supplement looking back over that decade. Andrew Woolls-King
But in an increasingly competitive world there’s little time for reminiscence and today the company is e-mail: andrew@ecritech.com
charting a course to become an important player in the Internet of Things (IoT) sector. We’re looking
News Editor
beyond the hype that talks about connecting 10, 20 or even 50 billion ‘things’ to the cellular network, the Chris Williams
conventional Internet and each other, to come up with answers to the formidable engineering problems e-mail: chris@ecritech.com
that need to be solved before the IoT becomes reality. Such is the magnitude of the challenge that it will Art Editor
require a collaborative effort between many companies spanning several technology sectors including Tim Plummer
semiconductors, network infrastructure, and Cloud computing platforms. Nordic hopes to play a e-mail: production@ecritech.com
significant role. Image Editor
That’s not to say the company is only focused on the big projects. One of the promises of the IoT is that Neale Hobday
it promises to democratize connectivity far beyond even that achieved by today’s Internet. Soon, for just a e-mail: production@ecritech.com
few dollars, even the most inexperienced maker or hobbyist will be able to make their project ‘smart’ by Print & Distribution
adding a Bluetooth low energy wireless connection. This is not a dream; in this issue (see page 16), for Printech Europe
example, you can read about the Arduino Primo, the latest single-board computer from the world’s largest
open-source ecosystem. The company says the Primo is the first Arduino product to allow makers and
hobbyists to take advantage of the embryonic IoT. The Primo is powered by Nordic’s nRF51822 Bluetooth
low energy solution which can also support IPv6. Tomorrow, that technology will allow the Primo to
connect to the IoT without needing the resources of a sophisticated gateway such as a smartphone. Subscribe
Today, Nordic Bluetooth low energy chips are found in hundreds of millions of products around the
world. If our engineers’ talents are nurtured and we continue to enjoy a share of good fortune, it’s possible
that when we take a glance back from June 2026 we’ll see a good share of the 50 billion things making up Talk to @NordicTweets
the IoT being powered by one of our devices.
Yours Sincerely, Like us
Follow us
Geir Langeland
Director of Sales & Marketing Join online forum:
devzone.nordicsemi.com
Contributors
Page 9 Page 10 Page 20
Yamazaki Mitsuo is Nordic’s Sally Ward-Foxton is an electronics Caroline Hayes is a tech writer The Bluetooth® word mark and logos are
Regional Sales Manager in Japan. freelance journalist. On page 10 she specializing in semiconductors. In registered trademarks owned by the
Here he looks at how the nRF52 speaks to the man behind the BBC this issue she explores the state of Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and any use of such marks
by Nordic Semiconductor is under license.
Series SoC is powering a new micro:bit and finds out why Nordic’s play in wireless charging, finding an
generation of RF modules chip lies at the heart of the device industry undergoing rapid change © Nordic Semiconductor 2016
2 | summer 2016 | ulp wireless quarter www.nordicsemi.com

NEWS
The latest developments from Nordic Semiconductor
New Arduino base board offers In brief

native Bluetooth low energy BBC micro:bit
now for sale
Open source prototyping overhead to supervise and control The BBC micro:bit, a pocket-
platform developer, the Arduino Primo’s on-board sized programmable device
Arduino, is to use Nordic accelerometer, temperature, that can be coded and
customized to bring ideas to
Semiconductor’s nRF52832 humidity, and pressure sensors.
life, is being made available to
Bluetooth low energy System-on- For all but the most advanced buy in the U.K. by element14,
Chip (SoC) in its new Internet of projects, programming will be the BBC’s micro:bit partner.
Things (IoT) programmable single done via the established and The widespread availability
board computer: the Arduino easy-to-use Arduino Integrated follows gifting of the BBC
Primo. Development Environment (IDE) micro:bit to one million school
For the first time the low cost programming interface. children across the U.K. The
single board computer—or base Arduino Primo now offers built-in However, professional micro:bit can be pre-ordered
board—features native Bluetooth wireless connectivity for makers developers and Makers who want from element14 as a single
embarking on IoT projects unit; a starter kit with four
low energy wireless connectivity to access the most advanced
project ideas to get users
alongside Near Field Comms client and server over Wi-Fi, offers features and functionality of the started; or in a pack of 10
(NFC), Wi-Fi, and infrared (IR) embedded IR for traditional Arduino Primo will be able to use devices.
technologies. Previously users remote control, and employs the any Nordic nRF52 Series-
were required to add shields to
the board to enable Bluetooth low
Nordic SoC’s integrated NFC tag
for secure authentication and
compatible Software
Development Kit (SDK). For
Bluetooth sector
energy technology. ‘Touch-to-Pair’ operation. example, the nRF5 SDK for IoT set for huge lift
In addition to being able to As well as controlling the allows more experienced users to Analyst Beige Market
wirelessly connect to a wide array Bluetooth low energy RF protocol develop IPv6 over Bluetooth low Intelligence, claims the
of Bluetooth low energy sensors, software stack and application energy applications enabling the Bluetooth low energy market
the Arduino Primo can act as a code, the nRF52832’s ARM Arduino Primo to connect directly will be worth $3 billion by 2021,
fully functional TCP / IP Internet processor has the computational to the Internet. driven by major expansion
in the industrial Internet of
Things (IoT) sector, and high
Soccer sensors track player performance demand from Asia Pacific.

The report claims the region
for post-game analysis

will contribute more than
50 percent of the revenue
in the Bluetooth low energy
U.S. wearable sports technology company, Zepp market and identifies Nordic
Labs, has launched a new wearable soccer sensor Semiconductor as a key vendor.
that monitors a range of in-game player attributes Close to 4 billion Bluetooth
chips are likely to be shipped
to provide coaches and players with a tool to
worldwide in 2021.
analyze and improve performance post game.
The Zepp Soccer sensors are strapped to a
player’s calves, and record running and sprint Flexible security
distance, passing, and preferred foot metrics, solution unveiled
employing Nordic Semiconductor’s nRF52832
Experimental physicists
System-on-Chip (SoC) to sync the data via a
The Zepp Soccer sensors place a high demand on at Saarland University in
Bluetooth low energy wireless link to compatible Germany have developed an
Bluetooth low energy technology
iOS or Android smartphones. outdoor security solution that
The Zepp Soccer sensors place a high demand and capture individual player video. The app will issues a warning if someone
on the Nordic SoC, as the application is required then generate a report for post-game review. has attempted to cross over
to support more than 30 sensors and provide “We needed a Bluetooth Smart solution with a a flexible cable. The cable
sufficient bandwidth between the sensors and a powerful CPU, excellent Floating Point and DSP contains a linear array of
smartphone to cope with, for example, more than performance, to perform the data manipulation, highly sensitive magnetic-
100x the data generated by a heart rate monitor. field sensors that are capable
as well as large RAM capacity to buffer all the
of detecting the smallest
Zepp Labs also required low power consumption information being gathered by the sensors,”
changes in the ambient
in both ‘active’ and ‘standby’ modes to achieve explains Dong Li, Zepp Labs Hardware Director. magnetic field at distances of
up to 15 hours of game time between recharges. “But we also needed to minimize power up to several meters, issuing
From a smartphone running the Zepp Soccer consumption. For those reasons the nRF52832 a message via Bluetooth
app, a coach or ‘host’ can also record game time Bluetooth Smart SoC was the logical choice.” technology to a smartphone
or tablet.
www.nordicsemi.com ulp wireless quarter | Summer 2016 | 3

news
In brief A million schoolchildren receive

Bluetooth device
boom coming Nordic-powered BBC micro:bit
Market intelligence firm Britain’s public broadcaster,
ABI Research, predicts the BBC, is delivering up to
annual Bluetooth device
one million free codeable
shipments will reach 5 billion
by 2021, with Bluetooth computers called micro:bits to
low energy delivering the every 11-12 year old school child in
strongest growth, driven the U.K., each driven by a Nordic
by new opportunities in Semiconductor nRF51822
beacons, home automation, Bluetooth low energy System-on-
and wearables. Though Chip (SoC).
smartphones will still make Announced at a launch event
up 43 percent of Bluetooth hosted at the London Stock
shipments by 2021, ABI claims
Exchange, the BBC said the
Bluetooth low energy devices
will increase to 27 percent project aimed to encourage the
of shipments on the back next generation to take an interest
of enhancements in mesh in technology. Following the BBC micro:bit aims to
nationwide rollout, the micro:bit inspire the next generation
networking and IPv6, as well
as improvements in efficiency, hardware and much of the
range, and size reductions. software will be open-sourced, communicate with other the widest number of people,
and the micro:bit made available micro:bits, and wirelessly sync to including for those from a non-
Monitoring to buy from a range of retailers. smartphones and computers. electronics background.
heart rate Nordic Semiconductor is an Nordic pioneered the “The ability to code is now as
official BBC micro:bit partner, and development of ultra low power important as math skills and can
China-based Shenzhen DO the nRF1822 SoC sits at the heart wireless in the early 2000s, and unlock new career options,” says
Intelligent Technology Co has
of the micro:bit, integrating the later became a key contributor in Simon Segars, CEO of ARM. “I can
selected Nordic’s nRF51822
computer’s ‘brain’—a 32-bit ARM the creation and evolution of easily imagine a new wave of
Bluetooth Smart System-on-
Chip for its “ID 107” real-time Cortex M0 microprocessor— Bluetooth low energy technology. entrepreneurs looking back and
dynamic heart rate monitor where the school child-created Since then Nordic has worked citing [the BBC micro:bit launch]
wearable. The multifunction software code runs, and that also to make ultra low power wireless as the day their passion for
wristband is equipped with allows the micro:bit to wirelessly connectivity simple, and open to technology began.”
a photoelectric diode and a
green LED on the underside
of the bracelet. Heart rate
data is calculated based on Smoke and motion detectors provide
a proprietary algorithm and
wirelessly synced to the user’s networked protection from fire and theft
smartphone via Bluetooth Norwegian safety connected device company,
low energy, allowing them to sfty Sense offers networked protection
sfty, has released a wireless, smartphone app-
determine the level of effort against apartment fires
controlled combined smoke- and motion-
maintained during exercise.
detector. The unit is designed for use in multi-
Energy costs fuel dwelling units and apartments to protect the

owner against fire and theft, as well as provide
smart home lift temperature and relative humidity data.
The sfty Sense device employs Nordic
The global smart home
Semiconductor’s multiprotocol nRF51822
market is predicted to grow
from $46.97 billion in 2015 System-on-Chip (SoC) to deliver
to $121.73 billion by 2022, as communication across a 2.4 GHz low power
advancements in the Internet mesh network while simultaneously providing
of Things (IoT) sector drive smartphone connectivity. signaling, while the low power mesh network is
consumer adoption, analyst From the sfty app, users can create a social used for signaling between devices to trigger or
MarketsandMarkets claims. network of friends, family, and neighbors who cancel smoke or motion alarms in the individual
It said increasing consumer are notified via the app on their own mobile home, or trigger building-wide smoke alarms.
demand for convenience, device in the event of a sfty Sense detector alarm “With the impending announcement of
safety, and security, as being triggered. The user can also manage their Bluetooth Smart Mesh, the support for
well as a rising need for safety devices from the app to turn on and off Bluetooth in smartphones will allow direct
energy saving would see
the burglar alarm, as well as notify their network interaction between the user’s mobile and our
manufacturers expand
if they are in need of assistance. devices when they are at home,” says Espen
their smart home product
portfolios. The lighting control The device employs a home Wi-Fi network via Schrøder, COO of sfty. “This capability is
market is expected to grow a standard router to communicate with the sfty something that competing standards are not in
at the highest rate during the Cloud for configuration, status reports, and a position to provide for the foreseeable future.”
forecast period.

news
IoT platform enables end-to-end wireless

monitoring and control
Swedish industrial Internet on-Chip (SoC) to enable either customers with the opportunity
of Things (IoT) system or both Bluetooth low energy to rapidly deploy technology for
provider, Free2move, has and the company’s own legacy monitoring buildings without
unveiled its 2Connect building Free2move Radio Air Protocol being impeded by ‘legacy’
management and industrial (FRAP)-wireless connectivity systems,” says Anders Due-Boje,
automation IoT platform, a to a range of IoT devices, Free2move CEO.
complete IoT architecture sensors, beacons, and actuators. “The IoT is undergoing rapid
comprising sensors and 2Connect monitors humidity, development and early IoT
actuators, wireless gateways and temperature, air quality, air and adopters need a capability to
middleware, analytics, and water flow, volatile organic support proprietary legacy
presentation. compounds (VOCs), vibration, technologies in the short term,”
The platform incorporates movement, light, pressure, says Geir Langeland, Director of
Cloud services for automating energy consumption, as well as Sales & Marketing with Nordic
and connecting ‘things’ with traces of fungus, using a layered Semiconductor.
building and industrial analytics and decision “2Connect cleverly takes
2Connect monitors a host of
automation applications and architecture. The platform advantage of the nRF52832 SoC’s
environmental variables
services. The fundamental part of assumes full responsibility for the multiprotocol support to offer
2Connect is the Celebes scalable capture of IoT data, analyzing real triggered motor-, switch-, lock-, users both Bluetooth low energy
wireless gateway which employs time information and taking alarm-, and valve-actuation, and and legacy FRAP stacks, thus
Nordic Semiconductor’s corresponding remedial actions visualization. ‘future proofing’ customer
nRF52832 multiprotocol System- with automatic, wirelessly- “2Connect provides our installations.”
Nordic expands with new offices in mainland China

Nordic Semiconductor has opened two care, payment systems, and smart remote
new sales, marketing, and customer control with voice command.
support offices in mainland China. The “China has been growing steadily every
offices enable the company to provide year since Nordic started out in Asia in
fast sales and technical support to China’s 2001,” says Ståle “Steel” Ytterdal,
burgeoning wireless design and Nordic’s Director of Sales & Marketing –
manufacturing sector. The facilities are in Asia.
addition to Nordic’s Asian HQ in Hong “However, when we introduced
Kong. Bluetooth low energy in 2010 sales
The offices officially opened on March 1, exploded. That showed Nordic that there
Nordic’s Shanghai office celebrates its opening was a lot of innovation going on in China
2016, and are based in Shanghai in north-
east China, and Shenzhen in Guangdong and we needed to position ourselves to
province in the south of China. Each office closely support these customers.”
is staffed by a Technical Sales The opening of the Shanghai and
representative and Field Applications Shenzhen offices strengthens Nordic’s
Engineer and managed by Nordic’s relationship with its current distribution
existing Regional Sales Managers in China. partners - Avnet, Arrow, Honestar, New
The opening of the offices is a response Spirit, Rutronik, and Xuntong - providing
to the dramatic growth of companies an increased presence in mainland China
designing and developing Bluetooth low and the basis for further collaboration on
energy solutions in China, particularly in joint meetings with potential and existing
the area of wearables, IoT, toys, health While the Shenzhen office also opens for business customers.
Global IoT security spending to climb New modules v4.2 compatible

In brief
Worldwide spending on Internet of Things (IoT) security will Taiyo Yuden, has selected Nordic’s nRF52832 Bluetooth low
reach $348 million in 2016, a 23.7 percent increase from 2015 energy System-on-Chip (SoC) for its new EYSHCNZXZ and
spending of $281.5 million, according to analyst Gartner Inc. EYSHJNZXZ Bluetooth low energy modules. The modules are
Although overall spending will initially be moderate, Gartner fully-tested Bluetooth low energy solutions compatible with
predicts IoT security market spending will increase at a faster the latest version of the Bluetooth Core Specification (4.2),
rate after 2020, as improved skills, organizational change, simplifying the design of a wide range of connected products
and more scalable service options improve execution. The where performance, small size, and low power consumption are
company claims that by 2020 more than 25 percent of identified key factors. The use of Nordic wireless technology for the modules
enterprise attacks will involve the IoT. continues a long-term design partnership.
www.nordicsemi.com ulp wireless quarter | summer 2016 | 5

news
Bluetooth low energy gives model

railroads a 21st century makeover
One of the world’s largest makes it possible for multiple
model railroad makers has users to simultaneously control
transformed a decades old their locomotives on a single
market with the introduction of layout.”
the first Bluetooth low energy Janyszek adds that E-Z App
controlled trains. E-Z App from supports wireless smartphone
Bachmann Trains brings and tablet control of any of its E-Z
smartphone and tablet wireless App compatible model trains over
touchscreen control and app- a range of up to 33 meters, and is
based interactivity to the model also compatible with all MFI-
train market for the first time, approved game controllers.
reducing the start-up cost and “It has been incredibly
complexity for model railroad refreshing to see adults, young
enthusiasts. children, and experienced
E-Z App was developed in hobbyists downloading the app
conjunction with Bluetooth model because of its simplicity, and
train PCB design specialist, rediscovering the pleasure of
BlueRail Trains, using Nordic model trains,” comments David
Semiconductor’s nRF51822 E-Z App represents the biggest Rees, CEO & Creative Director at
System-on-Chip (SoC)-based technological advance in model Bluerail Trains.
railroads for nearly 30 years
BMD-200 modules from U.S.
engineering firm Rigado. controls for sound effects, lighting
Bachmann says E-Z App brings effects, and many other
simple wireless touchscreen variables,” says Rich Janyszek,
control and intuitive app-based Senior VP of Sales &
interactivity to the traditional Marketing at Bachmann.
model train market for the first “In addition, the E-Z App
time. control system automatically
“This includes putting, quite keeps track of all locomotives
literally, at a user’s fingertips that are present on a track layout
features such as speed table and lists them on the program’s
controls [acceleration and opening screen in a roster that
deceleration rates], volume can be accessed at any time. This
Nordic nRF52 Series SoC wins CEM Editor’s Choice Award

Nordic Semiconductor’s next Chinese market. services that were fast, Bluetooth low energy
generation nRF52832 Bluetooth The nRF52832 SoC featured meticulous, and thoughtful, technology has seen strong
low energy System-on-Chip, has among the best of its peers in resulting in higher customer growth, but the recent
won the China Electronic Market market share and boasted one satisfaction, according to the emergence of wearable health-
(CEM) Editor’s Choice Award or more innovative features—in CEM editors. care devices and smart-home
2015 in the “Most Competitive particular its unique Near-Field “The applications base for applications will provide a
Interface Products in China” Communication (NFC) tag— strong impetus for further
category. while Nordic also demonstrated growth in the Bluetooth
Jointly hosted by CEM pre-sales, sales, and after-sales market,” comments Ståle
magazine and China Electronic “Steel” Ytterdal, Nordic
Exhibition & Information Semiconductor’s Director of
Communication Co., Ltd., the Sales & Marketing in Asia.
selection criteria for the award “Our nRF52 Series SoCs
considered brand influence, address these markets with
market share, technological compact high-integration
innovation, and product solutions that support the ULP
service. The nRF52832 SoC wireless capability these new
was judged to fulfill all of these markets demand. We are very
Nordic’s nRF52832 SoC was
criteria, including a sound praised for its innovation and honored to receive the Editor’s
sales performance in the customer satisfaction Choice Award from CEM.”

ULP WIRELESS TRENDS
The latest developments in technology
By 2025 smart cities

may spend $1.12 trillion
on IoT deployment
Wireless standards
slash IoT costs
Smart cities of the future may look towards
open wireless standards to save billions in
Internet of Things (IoT) deployment costs,
according to market intelligence firm
Schoolchildren are taking a
Machina Research.
hands-on approach to coding
thanks to the BBC micro:bit The firm said choosing open standards -
for example Bluetooth low energy - would
lead to more interoperability between
School project sees BBC micro:bit networks and applications, cutting
costs by as much as 30 percent, and
carried to edge of space and back encouraging deployment of IoT solutions.
Machina Research predicts that by
A school in Yorkshire, England recently launched a BBC micro:bit to the edge of space, 2025 smart cities may spend $1.12 trillion
carried up into the stratosphere by a helium balloon. on deploying smart technology, but could
The project was the brainchild of computer teacher Peter Bell, and saw pupils from save up to $341 billion if they use open
Rishworth School design and engineer a module integrating the micro:bit, sensors, a GPS wireless standards instead of proprietary
tracking device, and an on-board camera to take pictures and record video on its journey. technology. On top of the lowered cost
A team of 20 pupils tracked the weather balloon and its cargo as it made its way up to for deployment, Machina also predicts 27
a height of 32,588 meters, before the balloon burst and the module began its descent, percent more connected devices by 2025
reaching a speed of 290 km/hr when a parachute deployed and returned the module to if open wireless standards are adopted by
Earth safely. Thanks to the GPS tracking device, the school was able to follow the module’s smart cities and IoT providers.
descent and locate it in a farmer’s field some 100 miles away from where it was launched. The firm said the current issue is IoT
“We were in two cars following the signal and it was very exciting. We heard later from a providers are bundling proprietary
pilot that air traffic was rerouted because something was coming down to earth fast and it wireless technology with their deployment
was our computer,” says Bell. software, instead of using open source
At the heart of the micro:bit is a Nordic Semiconductor nRF51822 System-on-Chip (SoC). alternatives.
Wireless transmitters deliver pinpoint location information

Apple has been awarded a patent for a Bluetooth low energy, Wi-Fi, and GPS.
system of city-wide low power wireless The system In operation, a stationary waypoint device
could improve
transmitters capable of sending pinpoint- would broadcast its location via Bluetooth
positioning
accurate location data as well as accuracy over low energy messages. Each message would
environmental alerts to iPhones. traditional GPS be sent out at a known signal strength,
The patent entitled “System with wireless allowing the receiving device, like an iPhone,
messages to enhance location accuracy” to extrapolate its relative location based on a
attempts to solve signal reception issues that received signal strength indicator value,
crop up in densely populated cities, while thereby determining its absolute position
increasing the granularity of positioning depending on the number and quality of
data. The solution is said to consume less messages received.
power than A-GPS, Wi-Fi positioning, and Applied to navigation, the system could be
cellular triangulation techniques. configured to track vehicle movement with a
The patent calls for a multitude of high degree of accuracy, for example, along
stationary transmitters to be installed at off-ramps and on-ramps or forks in a road,
strategic locations near a city’s roads. Each where traditional GPS systems often fail to
transmitter is a smart wireless hub supporting resolve user position adequately.

news extra
New Eddystone beacon format

addresses security concerns
The Ephemeral Identities addition to Google’s more secure Eddystone beacon format is
now supported by a dedicated Nordic Software Development Kit
B
eacons are driving new
proximity-based services. A more secure form of Eddystone
from Google promises to
The devices comprise
accelerate beacon adoption
low-cost Bluetooth low
energy transmitters for indoor or
outdoor use, placed in a particular
location or point of interest. The
beacon transmits its identity to
any Bluetooth 4.0-equipped
mobiles in range; those hosting
a companion app can be located
and the software can trigger
various types of notifications.
Because beacons have the
potential to identify the location
of smartphones to within a few
meters, they enable content
delivery specifically targeted to
that location for users who want
it. As such, the technology is “Beacons are a core building block of the Internet of Things but
predicted to be rapidly adopted security and privacy has been a concern with today’s beacon formats”
by stores as a way to boost sales.
Analyst Business Insider, for about a consumer with the An Eddystone-EID beacon Nordic’s Svendsen.
example, estimates that the top intention of malicious attack. uses an AES-encrypted eight- Nordic is one of fifteen
100 U.S. retailers could reap $44.4 This perceived vulnerability is byte beacon identifier that manufacturers currently
billion in sales by the end of this holding back beacon deployment. changes pseudo-randomly supporting Eddystone-EID, a list
year as a result of the influence of “Privacy is the top consumer with an average period (from which also includes Sensoro and
beacon-triggered smartphone barrier to wide adoption of one second to just over nine Estimote, beacon makers that use
notifications. beacons,” Adam Silverman, an hours) determined by the Nordic’s Bluetooth low energy
However, despite the potential, analyst with Forrester Research, developer. The identifier is wireless technology. When Google
beacons have taken a little longer told technology publication Wired. generated using a key and timer introduced Eddystone-EID, Nordic
than initially predicted to catch on. running on the beacon. The key simultaneously announced its
“Beacons are a core building block Hardening beacon security is generated and exchanged Software Development Kit (SDK)
of the Internet of Things,” explains In April, Google introduced new with a resolution service using and supporting tools for engineers
Reidar Martin Svendsen, Technical technology to enhance beacon a defined protocol and only the looking to work with the more
Product Manager with Nordic privacy by launching Eddystone- beacon and the service to which secure beacon technology.
Semiconductor, “but security and Ephemeral Identities (EID), an it is registered have access to the The ‘nRF5 SDK for Eddystone’
privacy has been a concern with addition to the Eddystone beacon key. If registered with the service enables development of
today’s beacon formats.” format that itself was announced beacon ‘attachments’ are served Eddystone-EID beacons to
The root of the problem in mid 2015. in the normal way across a secure provide real-world context to users
is Bluetooth low energy The company explains link to a consumer’s mobile. in a huge variety of proximity-
technology’s use of a unique that Eddystone-EID provides Apart from the security based beacon applications. The
identifier to pair with mobile developers more power to control improvement, Eddystone- SDK also features a Generic
devices for the exchange who can make use of a beacon’s EID also introduces other Attribute Profile (GATT) that
of information. In most signal, enabling a new set of enhancements such as an ability allows beacons to be configured
applications this is not an use cases for users to be able to to broadcast URLs. “[Now, for from a smartphone.
issue, but because a beacon exchange information securely example] advertising posters The SDK is designed for Nordic’s
is designed to pair with any and privately. The secret of the [could have] the ability to nRF52 Series Bluetooth low
mobile device that comes technology is a beacon ‘frame’ (or broadcast a relevant web address energy Systems-on-Chip (SoCs).
within range, a fixed identifier signal) that changes periodically, to smartphones nearby - making A future upgrade will also allow
can leave open a ‘back door’ for and consequently is only it easy for interested parties for the existing nRF51 or nRF52
the unethical to eavesdrop on recognizable to a controlled set of to find out more about the Eddystone beacons to be updated
communications and perhaps users (those that have signed up advertised item without having to Eddystone-EID via an over-the-
access private information to the service). to download an app first,” notes air (OTA) firmware update. 

COMMENT
Nordic’s nRF52 Series powers

new generation of RF modules
The nRF52832 SoC is enabling manufacturers to build a powerful new breed of
Bluetooth low energy modules based on proven architecture, says Mitsuo Yamazaki
as well as 512 kB Flash memory
By Mitsuo Yamazaki,
Regional Sales and 64 kB RAM.
Manager – Japan, The ARM processor enables
Nordic Semiconductor
the SoC to run applications
T
that previously demanded a
he RF modules market two-chip (2.4 GHz transceiver
is booming. According plus separate microcontroller)
to IHS, in mid 2015, solution. At the time of launch,
modules made up the nRF52832 SoC was the
about a third of the overall world’s most powerful single-
low power wireless market chip Bluetooth low energy
and the company expected device and was recently
that proportion to grow to 40 recognized by China Electronic
percent by 2018. This statistic Market magazine as “the most
should come as no surprise; the competitive interface product in
Small but powerful: Taiyo Yuden’s smallest Bluetooth low energy module
lure of a pre-engineered, tested measures just 5.1 by 11.3 by 1.3 mm but incorporates a 64 MHz, 32-bit ARM
China”. (See this issue pg6.)
and compliant RF solution for Cortex M4F processor Several module makers already
manufacturers with little or launched nRF52832 SoC-based
no experience with wireless
connectivity, yet needing to
Trains was based on Nordic
Semiconductor’s nRF51822
“Because the products. Here in Japan, Taiyo
Yuden has added to its range of
make their products “smart”, is Bluetooth low energy System- nRF52832 nRF51 Series-based modules with
compelling. on-Chip (SoC). The SoC SoC’s hardware two nRF52 Series-based units
U.S.-based Bachmann integrates an ARM Cortex measuring as small as 5.1 by 11.3
Trains, for example, one of M0 processor, 2.4 GHz
and software by 1.3 mm.
the world’s oldest and largest multiprotocol radio, up to 256 architecture are “The ARM processor and
traditional model railroad and
train manufacturers, teamed
kB Flash, and up to 32 kB RAM.
The SoC also features a
compatible with greater memory allocation makes
the nRF52832 SoC a better
up with RF module maker unique software architecture the nRF51 Series choice for single-chip Bluetooth
Rigado to bring Bluetooth low that separates the RF software modules, it makes Smart solutions for complex IoT
energy technology to model protocol from the developer’s applications,” says Mikio Aoki,
train engines. Bachmann says application code ensuring that
it much easier Taiyo Yuden Project Manager.
wireless connectivity brings during software development for customers to Aoki went on to add: “Because the
touchscreen control and app-
based interactivity to the model
the RF protocol can’t be
corrupted. Launched in mid-
upgrade” nRF52832 SoC’s ARM processor
and software architecture are
trains for the first time. (See this 2012, the nRF51822 is now used compatible with the nRF51 Series
issue pg6.) in millions of products across modules, it makes it much easier
In addition to Bachmann, the world. The nRF52832 SoC is based for our customers to upgrade to
scores of manufacturers find Rigado is not the only on the proven software- and the new modules.”
the trade-offs brought by company to base a module on hardware-architecture of the And in the U.S., Argenox
choosing a module—higher Nordic Bluetooth low energy nRF51 Series but features a Technologies has also
cost bill of materials and fewer technology. Nordic lists dozens 64 MHz, 32-bit ARM Cortex introduced a nRF52832 SoC-
opportunities for product of third-party nRF51822 SoC- M4F processor delivering up based module, measuring 9.7
customization compared to an powered modules on its website to 60 percent more generic by 14.3 by 2 mm and certified to
RF solution assembled from including those from companies processing power, offering FCC, ETSI, and CE standards.
discrete components—are such as Fujitsu, Laird, and u-blox. ten times the Floating Point “The nRF52832 SoC makes
well worth making to simplify performance, and twice the Bluetooth low energy products
design and manufacturing. A Boosting performance Digital Signal Processing smarter and better,” explains
single module, for example, Last year’s launch of the Nordic (DSP) performance compared Argenox Technologies Founder
can be reused across multiple nRF52832 Bluetooth low energy to competing solutions. The and CEO, Gustavo Litovsky. “The
products, easing the problem SoC allowed module makers SoC has an enhanced 2.4 GHz chip makes the end solution
of supporting numerous unique to design a new generation multiprotocol radio offering faster to develop, lower cost, and
wireless designs. of modules with significantly Bluetooth low energy (fully more reliable, while allowing the
The Rigado RF module greater performance than those compatible with Bluetooth 4.2), designer to make fewer trade-offs
selected by Bachmann which came before. with -96 dB (receive) sensitivity in their selection of features.” 

TECHNOLOGY PERSPECTIVE
The BBC micro:bit project is

inspiring the next generation of
computer science engineers
Building the BBC micro:bit

Sally Ward-Foxton speaks to the man behind the BBC’s ambitious educational project
Sally Ward-Foxton
and math (STEM) subjects and As soon as Nordic The U.K. government
eventually pursuing careers in changed the school curriculum
is a freelance
journalist specializing computer science. It’s a laudable Semiconductor as a result of the Royal Society
in electronics aim, but how did this ambitious stepped in we knew report, but BBC Learning felt
T
project come about? there was more that could be
he British Broadcasting Howard Baker was with the
we’d solved most done. The BBC has a history of
Corporation’s (BBC) BBC’s education department, the of the hardware getting involved with practical
educational project team which drove development problems. Its chip is a projects to educate its home
to give every year 7 of the micro:bit. He explains that country; in the 1980s, a similarly
schoolchild in the U.K. a free the initial idea followed a 2011 brilliant solution” ambitious venture called the BBC
programmable learning device report from the U.K.’s worldwide Howard Baker Computer Literacy project placed
is almost fully rolled out, with renowned Royal Society. microcomputers in U.K. schools
nearly one million devices The report identified a steep understands. We’d stopped to encourage young people to
already in the hands of their decline in the number of students learning these skills.” learn to use them. A basic level of
new owners. The devices, called studying computer science computer literacy was seen to be
“micro:bits”, are small (and at university. The report also Repeating history extremely important to prepare
wearable) boards equipped revealed that the students’ The current generation had no the workforce for the impending
with a basic LED display, various skill level when they arrived at idea that programming skills microcomputer revolution.
sensors and buttons, and a university had steadily declined. were in demand in the U.K, Baker Called the BBC Micro, the
Bluetooth low energy wireless “[This was all happening] at a says. It came as a surprise to computer given to schools in the
chip with embedded ARM time when [future] jobs required many schoolchildren that there is 1980s could be programmed using
processor. The intention is to more and more of these skills,” a strong British industry creating BASIC computer language and
teach children the basics of Baker says. “That’s thinking games and movies which represented many people’s first
programming with the hope of skills associated with computer represents an exciting potential experience of using a computer.
encouraging them into studying programming or organizing career path for computer science It was a successful project and is
science, technology, engineering, things in a way that a computer and STEM graduates. believed to have kick-started the

U.K.’s fledgling digital industries, in programme, Blue Peter, with call for commercial partners to
particular, the games industry. the idea of encouraging basic help with hardware, software,
“The revolution did happen, electronic assembly. However, the learning resources, and finance.
every home did have a cost of materials for Blue Peter The partners worked together
microcomputer – computers are projects is limited to around GB£2 to finalize the spec of the device,
now ubiquitous,” Baker says. “The ($2.89), which meant that more which now included an on-board
skills that we learned in the 1980s expensive electronics projects accelerometer and compass.
took us through the revolutions weren’t appropriate. U.K. IP vendor ARM developed
that followed very quickly after “I was cycling home and and tested the basic hardware,
that. We were capable of building thought: ‘what’s the cheapest, KEY POINTS Technology Will Save Us designed
games, we were capable of smallest thing we could put in — the shape, look and feel of the
coming up with the world wide their hands, what could we give Rollout of the BBC’s device, and it was manufactured
web. But it was obvious [in 2011] them that would be a kickstart?’,” project to provide a by distributor Farnell element14.
that those skills were dipping.” Baker says. “We’d have to be able million free micro:bit ARM designed the hardware
Baker’s Innovations team at to give it away, so it would have to boards to help teach U.K. with simplicity in mind. This
BBC Learning started working be very cheap and it would have schoolchildren to code is included a high level of integration
with Manchester Metropolitan to have something on there that almost complete leading to the selection of a
University, assembling panels would immediately fascinate, like — Bluetooth low energy chip with
of skills experts and teachers to LEDs to write a message or make The code written by an embedded ARM processor.
the children is run on
discuss what form a potential an animation. It needs buttons, Nordic Semiconductor’s
the Nordic nRF51822
educational project might take. an input/output to attach to a nRF51822 is the brain of the
Bluetooth low energy SoC
Early ideas included a software sensor, and it must be the easiest micro:bit combining the latest
—
version of the BBC Micro to teach thing in the world to program. Bluetooth low energy, ANT+ and
The micro:bits will soon
basic programming. Kids loved Like the BBC Micro - just tap in an proprietary wireless technology
be able to connect to the
the prototype, Baker says, but it instruction and the thing does it.” wider Internet as part of with a 32-bit ARM Cortex-M0
was especially loved by parents the IoT, helping prepare microprocessor.
who had used the original BBC Thinking bigger young coders to develop The nRF51822’s microprocessor
Micro at school. The BBC micro:bit was born. the IoT applications of is powerful enough to look after
As this was happening, A proof of concept device was tomorrow the wireless connectivity while
a new breed of electronics made up by BBC R&D and trialed also running the code written
hobbyists called ‘makers’ — tech at various events with great by the kids and looking after
enthusiasts, engineers, and success. But the project really the board’s other capabilities
students — started to emerge. gained momentum when newly- (with the exception of the USB
The rise of the Maker Movement appointed Director General of the functionality which is supervised
coincided with the early part of BBC, Tony Hall, announced that by an NXP Semiconductors
the BBC Learning project and the BBC’s big educational project microprocessor). The wireless
encouraged the notion that there of 2015 would be “Make It Digital”, connectivity allows a micro:bit
ought to be a piece of hardware an initiative to, in his words, “get to communicate with other
involved, that the kids could touch the nation coding again”. By then FRONT micro:bits, and Bluetooth 4.0
and play with, to make it feel more an integral part of this initiative, compatible smartphones, tablets,
real. Some small smartphone- the micro:bit team realized they and computers.
controlled robots were built could, and should, think bigger. “We knew from working with
as part of the project, which An initial idea to build 10,000 ARM that we wanted an ARM
reacted to signals embedded in devices was scrapped in favor Cortex-M0, but as soon as Nordic
popular BBC TV programmes, of giving a device away to every Semiconductor stepped up with
and they were a huge success child in a whole year group – a a [Bluetooth low energy System-
with children. This led to the million devices in total. on-Chip (SoC) with an embedded
Innovations team approaching Towards the end of 2014, the ARM microprocessor], and
BACK
the BBC’s flagship children’s TV Innovations team put out a showed it can do all this stuff we
U.K. 11 and 12 year old school children are now exploring the capabilities of the BBC micro:bit, a wirelessly-connected, programmable computer

knew very quickly we’d solved end of the project. The micro:bit
most of the hardware problems,” hardware is now on sale to the
Baker explains. “It was a brilliant general public through Farnell
solution; in one step, the micro:bit element14 and several other
was equipped to do all the things retailers and there will be add-on
it needed to do. kits available from partners like
“Shake it and something Kitronic which will incorporate
happens, point it in a direction and additional sensors and other
something happens, tap it and learning materials. The micro:bits
a smartphone does something. might also eventually be able
That’s what turns the children on to transfer data between each
and underneath, Nordic’s chip is other, using the nRF51822 SoC’s
making it all possible.” proprietary radio functionality.
The other important chip on Another potentially exciting
the board is NXP’s USB controller, development is that the BBC
Nordic’s John Leonard (far left) and partners at the micro:bit U.K. roll-out
chosen because it enables code is working with Nominet (the
to be ported to the board without for the micro:bit’s Javascript a great practical illustration of U.K. web domain name registry)
first downloading a loader editor, and C++ is also available what coding can do. Samsung to get micro:bits connected
program (a potential obstacle through ARM mbed, the built an Android app which allows to the wider Internet, using a
to setting up the micro:bit). The development environment used the micro:bit to be programmed Raspberry Pi or smartphone as
company also provided the MEMS by many embedded engineers. wirelessly by a smartphone, a gateway. Internet connectivity
accelerometer and compass “The kids have a pathway and some of the smartphone’s will effectively make a million-
chips. The board also has 25 LEDs where they can start with moving functions to be controlled by the plus micro:bits a genuine part
arranged in a grid, two buttons, graphical blocks, like a jigsaw micro:bit. Smartphones equipped of the Internet of Things (IoT).
pins to link to other sensors via puzzle [in Blockly], then play with with Bluetooth 4.0 and later can The micro:bits can then act as
crocodile clips, and an edge Python and Javascript, and then communicate via the Nordic sensor or actuator nodes for the
connector which can be used to even move on to C++ on a clear nRF51822 SoC which hosts a Raspberry Pi or smartphone,
connect to other hardware, such pathway,” Baker says. specially written Bluetooth Profile connected via Bluetooth low
as Raspberry Pi or Arduino. Key to connecting the and Services, courtesy of the energy, a USB cable or through
For the micro:bit’s software hardware and software is a C++ Bluetooth SIG. the edge connector.
Microsoft volunteered its “Touch library which implements the “Not only does Bluetooth low “The micro:bit is not just a tool
Develop” platform and built a interactions referred to by the energy mean I can sit on the to help kids code, it’s a tool to help
web app around it, before adding higher languages. This important bus and write my program on kids get ready for the IoT,” Baker
Google’s Blockly language at library was built by Lancaster my smartphone, and transfer it says. His view is that comparable
Baker’s request. University; it’s now a fully directly to the micro:bit, but I can to the microcomputer revolution
Baker was also keen to include fledged open-source embedded also get the micro:bit talking to in the 1980s, the IoT is the next
Python, a software language operating system with a range of and controlling the smartphone,” technology revolution our society
widely used in the teaching functionalities that the various explains Baker. faces. “The micro:bit is absolutely
community, and with the support communities using the micro:bit about building IoT technology,
of the Python Foundation, a can build on. Get ready for the IoT it’s about experimenting with
special version of Python for Since most schoolchildren Although the micro:bits are building things for the new world,
embedded devices was added. are very familiar with mobiles, almost fully rolled out to the and having the opportunity to do
Code Kingdoms was responsible connection to a smartphone is first target group, this isn’t the that,” he says. 
ULP Wireless Q now available on

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tablets, and Amazon Kindle
QUARTER 2 | SUMMER 2016
Nordic Semiconductor’s ULP Wireless Q keeps you up to date on

everything that’s happening in the Bluetooth Smart, ANT+, and
Download COVER STORY
Building the proprietary ultra low power wireless technology sector
FREE and receive
QUARTER 2 | SUMMER 2016
BBC micro:bit
automatically beacon security

What’s next for
semiconductors?
The Apple iPad version of ULP Wireless Q (tinyurl.com/WQipad) is now joined by iPhone,
every quarter SPECIAL
SUPPLEMENT
COVER STORY
Building the
BBC micro:bit
beacon security
What’s next for
Android (tinyurl.com/WQandroid), and Amazon Kindle (tinyurl.com/WQkindle) versions.
semiconductors?
A decade of
ultra low power
wireless
2006 to 2016
SPECIAL
SUPPLEMENT
A decade of
ultra low power
wireless
2006 to 2016
The digital version of ULP Wireless Q is designed to make the most of tablet devices’ large
high-resolution display, and includes all the interactivity you’d expect, including links back to
relevant articles archived on the Nordic website, new product releases, analysts’ information,
blogs, videos, and much more.
ULP Wireless Q digital – your essential quarterly guide to ultra low power
wireless technology in a mobile-device friendly format

ANT WIRELESS UPDATE
A decade of collaboration
Kat Kent looks back over ten years of successful and productive cooperation
between ANT Wireless and Nordic Semiconductor
Kat Kent is a Canada-
based technology
journalist and a
wireless applications
engineer
T
he ANT RF software
protocol (‘ANT’) was
developed in response
to a need to wirelessly
transport data, using very little
battery power, from a footpod to
a device such as a sportswatch.
Invented by Dynastream
Innovations, based in Cochrane,
Alberta, ANT was launched in
2003.
During those early years
Dynastream worked closely
with Nordic Semiconductor to
develop silicon solutions that
would bring ANT to life. The ANT was invented to link footpods to
sportswatches and today is a key player in the
result of that collaboration was
Garmin
new field of advanced running sensors
Nordic’s nRF24AP1, launched in
2005 and comprising a 2.4 GHz
silicon radio running ANT. The focus on the solutions needed and taking 20 percent off the Nordic’s flagship nRF52832 SoC
transceiver was designed to work for their products and industry nRF24AP1’s peak current draw. platform that offers customers
with a separate power-efficient sectors. The collaboration For its part, Dynastream added ultra-low power protocol options,
microprocessor. between cycling companies has several key features to ANT like ANT, to solve our mutual
In 2006, Dynastream was strengthened over the decade, for the nRF24AP2’s release: customers’ unique connectivity
acquired by Garmin Ltd, the with an impressive array of proximity search, continuous use-cases,” says James Fujimoto,
U.S.-based company best known standards released. ANT+ Bike scan, and frequency agility. Director of ANT Wireless. “We
for its navigation devices and Speed and Cadence (2007), The Garmin subsidiary highly value our partnership with
sportswatches. ANT was a Power (2007), and Heart Rate Dynastream has retained Nordic, a partnership that has
strategic technology employed (2008) Device Profiles were development responsibility for successfully brought ultra-low
by the Garmin ‘Edge’ series of released shortly after the ANT, ensuring interoperability power connectivity solutions to
bike computers and ensured alliance was formalized. These and backwards compatibility market, and we look forward to
interoperability with peripheral device profiles were followed between each generation many more years of successful
wireless devices — such as speed, by Light Electric Vehicle (2011), of ANT chips. This business partnering.”
cadence, and power sensors — Suspension (2014), Seatpost model continues with the latest Today, ANT has evolved into a
from a wide range of companies. (2015), Bike lights (2015), Radar generations of Systems-on-Chip technology for high node count
ANT quickly became a de facto (2015), and Shifting (2016). (SoCs) from Nordic; the nRF51 networks that require low power
wireless standard for the cycling 2009 saw the launch of Series (launched in 2012) and operation across the network.
sector including the elite riders of the Nordic nRF24AP2 single- 2015’s nRF52832 multiprotocol Being highly configurable, ANT
the Tour de France. chip ANT solutions in both SoCs. ‘SoftDevices’ (essentially can be used to form point-
2007 saw the formal creation single channel and 8-channel RF protocol stacks) S332 (ANT & to-point, broadcast, shared,
of the ANT+ Alliance, a group variants. The cost-optimized Bluetooth low energy) and S212 and a variety of mesh network
of companies committed single channel variant was used (ANT) can be installed on the topologies that operate as part
to developing standardized for ANT+ sensor products, nRF52832 chip. Documentation of proprietary network designs.
and interoperable ANT+ while the 8-channel variant and technical support specific ANT+ continues to lead the way
products. 2008 saw the first allowed products such as bike to the ANT stack is provided in standardized solutions for
ANT+ Symposium, an annual computers and sportswatches to directly by Dynastream, while the cycling sector, is strong in
event hosted by Dynastream synchronize with eight sensors Nordic provides support for the fitness industry where high
and sponsored by Nordic concurrently. the S132 SoftDevice and for any node count coexistence and
Semiconductor that continues Nordic brought an improved other issues. manufacturer interoperability
each fall in the Canadian Rockies. silicon technology to the new “Our chip and protocol is key, and is a key player in the
ANT+ Alliance Members form chip design, significantly partnership has grown from the developing field of advanced
technical working groups to lowering the purchase price, small radio-only nRF2401 to running sensors. 

ulp PRODUCT selection guide
Ultra low power wireless connectivity solutions

Find the chip you need using this latest listing of every Nordic product
IC Type On-Chip Peripherals Applications

WLCSP
Cellphone Accessories
Consumer Electronics
Wafer-level
Automotive Graded
Operating Wireless
Temperature Sensor
Analog Comparator
Wireless Charging
System-on-Chip
Sports & Fitness

Battery Monitor
Real Time Clock

ICs Ref. Designs Dev Tools
PC Peripherals
Memory
Balun
Smart Home
Connectivity
chip-scale
Automation
Transceiver
Band Protocol
Healthcare
Wearables
MPU
NFC-A tag
FPU
DSP
Gaming
Beacon
2-Wire
S/pdif
CPU Oscillators package
Uart
Pwm
PDM
Toys
Rng
Adc
Usb
Aes
Spi
I2s
OTP: One Time
option
Programmable
nRF52 Series
Bluetooth Smart v4.2, 64kB RAM 32MHz / 32kHz Crystal
nRF52832 2.4GHz Cortex M4F – Single Board Dev Kit
Proprietary & ANT 512kB Flash 64MHz / 32kHz RC
nRF51 Series
Bluetooth Smart v4.2 32kB or 16kB RAM 16MHz / 32kHz Crystal PC Desktop, Smart Remote, Single Board Dev Kit,
nRF51822 2.4GHz Cortex M0
& Proprietary 128kB or 256kB Flash 16MHz / 32kHz RC Smartphone Demo Apps, Beacon Dongle
Bluetooth Smart v4.2, 32kB or 16kB RAM 16MHz / 32kHz Crystal Single Board Dev Kit,
nRF51422 2.4GHz Cortex M0 Smartphone Demo Apps
Proprietary & ANT 128kB or 256kB Flash 16MHz / 32kHz RC Dongle
Bluetooth Smart v4.2 16kB RAM and 16MHz / 32kHz Crystal Single Board Dev Kit,
nRF51824 2.4GHz Cortex M0 Smartphone Demo Apps
& Proprietary 256kB Flash 16MHz / 32kHz RC Dongle
nRF8000 Series
16MHz / 32kHz Crystal PC Desktop, Smart Remote, nRFgo Dev Kit,
nRF8001 2.4GHz Bluetooth Smart v4.0 – –
32kHz RC Smartphone Demo Apps Prog. Kit
16MHz Crystal Key Tag, nRFgo Dev Kit,

nRF8002 2.4GHz Bluetooth Smart v4.0 – –
32kHz RC Smartphone Demo Apps Prog. Kit
nRF24AP Series
nRF24AP2-1CH 2.4GHz ANT – – 16MHz / 32kHz Crystal Smartphone Demo App ANT Dev Kit
nRF24AP2-8CH 2.4GHz ANT – – 16MHz / 32kHz Crystal Smartphone Demo App ANT Dev Kit
nRF24AP2-USB 2.4GHz ANT – – 16MHz Crystal ANT USB Dongle ANT Dev Kit
nRF24L Series
1kB + 256B RAM 16MHz / 32kHz Crystal PC Desktop, Smart Remote, nRFgo Dev Kit,
nRF24LE1 2.4GHz Proprietary 8051
16kB + 1.5kB Flash 16MHz / 32kHz RC R/C Toy Prog. Kit
1kB + 256B RAM 16MHz / 32kHz Crystal PC Desktop, Smart Remote, nRFgo Dev Kit,
nRF24LE1 OTP 2.4GHz Proprietary 8051
16kB + 1kB OTP 16MHz / 32kHz RC R/C Toy Prog. Kit
2kB + 256B RAM PC Desktop, Smart Remote, nRFgo Dev Kit,

nRF24LU1+ 2.4GHz Proprietary 8051 16MHz Crystal
16/32kB Flash R/C Toy Prog. Kit
2kB + 256B RAM PC Desktop, Smart Remote, nRFgo Dev Kit,

nRF24LU1+ OTP 2.4GHz Proprietary 8051 16MHz Crystal
16kB + 1kB OTP R/C Toy Prog. Kit
nRF24L01+ 2.4GHz Proprietary – – 16MHz Crystal – Eval Kit
nRF24 Series
nRF2460 (mono) 2.4GHz Proprietary – – 16MHz Crystal Microphone nRFgo Dev Kit
nRF900 Series
433 / 868 4 / 8 / 12 / 16 / 20MHz
nRF9E5 Proprietary 8051 4kB + 256B RAM – Eval Kit
915MHz Crystal
433 / 868 4 / 8 / 12 / 16 / 20MHz

nRF905 Proprietary – – – Eval Kit
915MHz Crystal
14 | summer 2016 | ulp wireless quarter www.nordicsemi.com www.nordicsemi.com ulp wireless quarter | summer 2016 | 15
BUSINESS BRIEFING
CEO Federico Musto, leads Arduino S.r.l’s foray into the IoT
Arduino readies for the IoT

The world’s most successful open-source ecosystem has embraced native wireless
connectivity. ULP Wireless Q finds out the reasons why
T
he thriving Maker together with David Mellis Arduino has forged a sustainable components, and plastic
community owes a (another IDII student) and David ecosystem beloved of the maker packaging.
big debt to Hernando Cuartielles, ‘forked’ the Wiring and developer community. That One U.S. maker association
Barragán. project software and added ecosystem comprises a range of estimates that around 75
In 2004, the Colombian created support for the new board. They single board computers (SBC – percent of its members base
an electronics development christened their board and their now based on processors from the electronics for their projects
platform called “Wiring” for his software fork “Arduino” (named several major vendors in addition on Arduino and other open-
Master’s thesis while studying at after a bar in Ivrea which in turn to Atmel), expansion boards, source hardware platforms,
the Interaction Design Institute was named after Arduin of Ivrea, software libraries, an easy-to- while most of the others build
Ivrea (IDII) in Italy. His goal was to who was King of Italy from 1002 use IDE (which encourages the their own SBCs from schematics
create low-cost, simple tools for to 1014). use of license-free design tools), detailing Arduino hardware.
non-engineers to develop digital Arduino hardware and and a worldwide development Actual numbers are hard to find,
projects. The Wiring platform software were ‘open source’, community dedicated to sharing but anecdotal evidence from
comprised a PCB using an Atmel available via a public license information, software, and organized gatherings such as
ATmega128 microcontroller (“open source”, as defined by technical solutions. “Maker Faires” across the world
and an Integrated Development the Open Source Hardware Makers are a growing global seem to confirm this estimate.
Environment (IDE) to ease Association (OSHWA), is grouping of spare-time designers, That makes for a lot of Arduinos in
programming. “hardware whose design is made hobbyists, and amateur engineers the wild, approaching one million
To reduce platform cost, publicly available so that anyone (see ULP Wireless Q Winter 2014 according to recent calculations.
Gianluca Martino led the design can study, modify, distribute, pg16) who use their spare time to
of a new platform based on a make, and sell the design or construct fun, often useful, and Lowering the shields
cheaper Atmel microcontroller, hardware based on that design”). occasionally commercial, devices It hasn’t taken long for the
the ATmega8. Massimo Banzi, In the ensuing decade, from electronics, mechanical maker community to latch on to

BUSINESS BRIEFING
commercial manufacturers’ use and interoperability with processor, an STMicroelectronics designed circular SBC in a 40
of wireless connectivity to make consumer electronics.” device, that looks after the mm diameter form factor, again
their products ‘smart’. ‘Dumb’ The demand from developers Arduino IDE programming and based on Nordic’s nRF52832
objects working in isolation resulted in the Arduino Primo, debugging while the ARM M4F SoC, targeted at wearable or
become a whole lot more useful launched with fanfare at a major does all the other computational sensor applications. The SBC is
when equipped with a wireless maker gathering in San Francisco heavy lifting. specifically designed to operate
connection to communicate with during May (see this issue pg3). Apart from the hardware, as a wireless sensor interfacing
other devices, sensors, computing With the Primo, developers and the Arduino ecosystem’s with the Primo. An Arduino
platforms such as smart phones makers no longer need to add other strength is its ease of developer could, for example,
and PCs, and ultimately data shields to wirelessly link to other programming via the IDE which set up a home temperature and
center services and analytics devices. The board incorporates allows the inexperienced to humidity monitoring system
processing in the Cloud. Bluetooth low energy––ensuring get started quickly. While the based on Primo Core sensors with
Anticipating demand for seamless connectivity with Primo retains that advantage, one or two Primos collating the
extensions to its base board smartphones, tablets, and if makers want to get really information in order to download
to endow Arduino SBCs with desktop computers equipped adventurous they can leverage the data to a smartphone or IoT
greater functionality, Arduino with Bluetooth 4.0 (and later) the SBC’s full capabilities by hub/ gateway.
cleverly incorporated standard technology as well as a rapidly turning to development tools Moreover, IoT applications
connectors which enabled the use growing family of Bluetooth low such as Nordic’s nRF52 or nRF5 running on Primo or Primo core
of expansion boards (or “shields”) energy sensors. In addition, the IoT Software Development can already take advantage
to add specific functionality. Primo platform also includes a Kits (SDK). These SDKs enable of IPv6—the latest Internet
For example, an Ethernet shield Wi-Fi module to easily link it with more experienced engineers Protocol—to communicate
allowed an Arduino board to existing Wi-Fi networks, and for to explore the nRF52832 SoC’s directly with other connected
connect to the Internet via an when greater bandwidth than full functionality which includes objects and Cloud-based
RJ45 connector and a few simple can be provided by the Bluetooth the capability to support even computing resources via cheap,
software instructions. Later, technology is needed (at the cost enterprise-level IoT applications. simple relays or ‘bridges’ that can
shields incorporating Wi-Fi and of higher power consumption). forward packets to the Internet
Bluetooth connectivity allowed Bluetooth low energy Targeting the IoT proper. (Security remains a
Arduino users to connect to other connectivity is provided courtesy According to Musto, the Primo challenge but is being addressed
devices or the Internet without of Nordic’s nRF52832 System- is one of the organization’s first by Internet engineering groups.)
needing a cable. on-Chip (SoC) which also attempts to enable users to build “IPv6 capability is another
But the pervasiveness of endows the board with Near projects that take advantage important reason why we
wireless connectivity and the Field Communication (NFC), a of the fledgling IoT. The Primo’s selected the Nordic Bluetooth
promise of the Internet of Things nifty, user-friendly “Touch-to- Bluetooth low energy technology low energy chip,” says Musto.
(IoT)—an extension of the Internet Pair” mechanism for quickly can communicate with sensors “Today, the Primo’s nRF52832
to even the most mundane associating Bluetooth low energy (or other Primos) and then relay chip is already capable of
objects via a bidirectional RF devices. (See ULP Wireless Q information to the Internet via a communicating with the Primo
link—convinced the Arduino Winter 2015, pg9.) ‘gateway’ such as a smartphone Core using IPv6 over Bluetooth
organization to make RF Better yet, the nRF52832 or desktop computer, or a newer low energy. Tomorrow, that
technology a fundamental part of SoC’s embedded ARM Cortex model IoT hub/gateway that technology will enable the Primo
an Arduino base board. M4F processor has plenty in includes both Bluetooth and to directly connect with the IoT
“Many developers know reserve to run the non-Bluetooth Wi-Fi connectivity. without an extra gateway. That’s
Arduino through the Arduino low energy functionality of the The organization has produced an exciting prospect for the maker
Uno - our original and best- Arduino Primo. (“The nRF52832 a ‘stripped-down’ Arduino community and is sure to further
selling product. We decided it is the heart of the Primo,” says Primo called the Primo Core. enhance the Arduino ecosystem
was time for a natural evolution Musto.) The SBC houses another The Primo Core is an elegantly- in the future.” 
of the Uno—a decade after
its introduction—embracing
At the heart of the Arduino Primo lies a Nordic nRF52832 SoC
‘native’ wireless connectivity,”
explains Federico Musto, CEO
and President of Arduino S.r.l.
(Arduino S.r.l was formed from the
manufacturing firm called Smart
Projects, an Italian factory that’s
assembled Arduino products
since 2005.)
“Developers familiar with the
Uno wanted an Arduino that
enabled them to design IoT
applications without the need
for shields,” says Musto. “To
meet that demand it was clear
to us that such a new product
had be equipped with Bluetooth
low energy because the
technology offers advantages “Developers familiar with the Uno wanted an Arduino that enabled
such as low power consumption them to design IoT applications without the need for shields”
BUSINESS BRIEFING
Over the horizon: what next for

the semiconductor industry?
The Internet of Things and open source hardware are the great hopes for a revitalized
semiconductor industry. ULP Wireless Q reports
Connected people, connected cities: The IoT will evolve into a networked ‘everything’
I
t is eighteenth century English which acknowledged that, now account for nearly 40 developing new business models
physicist Sir Isaac Newton who despite sometimes difficult percent of all semiconductor and fresh revenue streams to
is widely credited with coining market conditions in the broader revenue, which peaked at $340 reignite growth?”
the phrase “what goes up, must economic landscape in the last 20 billion in 2014. That’s the good
come down”, and while Newton years, the global semiconductor news. Today, however, the IoT leads way
may have been trying to make industry had largely managed to industry is negotiating another If the answer to this question is to
a point about gravity, you don’t expand and innovate. Key to the period of slowing sales, tightened be “yes”, then, the report claims,
need to be an economist to know sector’s health was identifying margins, and consolidation, salvation is less likely to be found
the principle holds equally true for and adopting a variety of new and it has left some observers in the existing PC and mobile
industry. business models, the most to question whether the markets, but from new verticals
Few sectors can claim to be notable of which was the advent semiconductor sector is finally across multiple industries from
immune to the business cycle, of fabless chip companies such as losing its mojo. the automotive and medical
and semiconductors are no Bluetooth low energy chip vendor “Even as semiconductors sectors, to industrial operations
different. Rapid growth has Nordic Semiconductor. continue to contribute to a wide and security, headlined quite
been accompanied by periodic “This innovative approach array of revolutionary, potentially possibly by the fledgling Internet
corrections and times of volatility has dramatically lowered transformative technological of Things (IoT) sector.
in its relatively short 50 year the barriers to entering the advances … long-time industry “The so-called Internet
history. semiconductor industry by watchers have begun to suggest of Things may very well be
Earlier this year Rambus Inc., enabling design-oriented the industry is moving into a new the industry’s long awaited
a semiconductor and IP vendor, companies to outsource most or era of slower growth, increasingly blockbuster technology
and the Global Semiconductor all of their chip production needs commoditized products, platform capable of driving yet
Alliance (GSA), an organization to contract suppliers, which can diminishing profits and, inevitably, another generation of explosive
comprising some 400 member spread the high cost of building fewer competitors,” notes the semiconductor growth,” asserts
companies in 35 countries and operating chip fabrication, report. the report. “Indeed, the IoT is
throughout the semiconductor assembly, and test facilities across The question now, the report expected to usher in a plethora of
industry supply chain, released a numerous customers,” says the suggests: “is whether chipmakers new technologies and business
report entitled “Charting a New report. will be able to respond to these models – helping to steer industry
Course for Semiconductors”, To that end, fabless chipmakers latest challenges by once again growth back into the fast lane.”

BUSINESS BRIEFING
Industry experts appear to

agree. The report cites Morgan
“Nordic is already the leader in
the Internet of ‘my’ things, but
“Nordic is already Federico Musto, CEO & President
of Arduino S.r.L. “These numbers
Stanley analyst Mark Edelstone the bigger opportunity is in the the leader in the are astonishing … makers,
who predicts the IoT will “drive
semiconductor demand for years”
Internet of Things around us.”
It’s an opportunity not lost
Internet of ‘my’ entrepreneurs, small and large
companies, kids, and venture
as it evolves from networked on Nordic’s customers either. things, but the capitalists are paying close
consumer electronics products, to Swedish industrial IoT system attention, and the playing field is
networked industries, and beyond provider, Free2move, is now in bigger opportunity very broad. From smart homes,
to “networked everything”.
It’s a prediction firmly backed
its twelfth year of working with
Nordic, and while the company
is in the Internet of to data analytics, to security, the
applications are endless.”
by Nordic Semiconductor, began life as a Bluetooth module Things around us” “One of Nordic’s strategies
provider, it is now in the process of is to closely support the maker
transforming into a pure IoT play. and hobbyists communities
“In total we’ve deployed to the semiconductor sector’s so that they can painlessly
approximately 100,000 devices growth predicament may be to incorporate Bluetooth low
using Nordic architectures, from take a lead from the software energy wireless connectivity into
airport trolley tracking, to gas industry’s trend towards open their electronic development
cylinder tracking, to military source. The report quotes Eric projects,” comments Geir
ordnance security, and laptop Weddington, an open source Langeland, Nordic’s Director
tracking,” says Anders Due-Boje, architect for GPS technology of Sales & Marketing. “Because
Free2move’s CEO. “It might be vendor, Trimble, who claims Arduino-based electronics make
a small number compared to “integrated circuits could be the up around 70 to 80 percent of
consumer applications, but with final frontier of open source.” amateur engineers’ projects,
our new IoT approach we hope to it was an easy decision when
go an order of magnitude higher.” Inspired by open source Arduino asked us to supply the
The company recently The report notes several nRF52832 SoC to form the heart
launched its Nordic nRF52832- hardware initiatives inspired of its first native Bluetooth low
powered 2Connect IoT platform by the open source concept energy wireless base board.”
(see this issue pg5) that monitors have launched in recent years, Indeed the future of the
a host of industrial environmental primarily for students, hobbyists, semiconductor sector looks
variables using a layered analytics and independent developers, or bright, notwithstanding the set
and decision architecture, makers. Among the leaders of of challenges it, as any industry in
analyzing real time information the Maker Movement is Arduino, its relative infancy, faces. The IoT
and taking corresponding, an open source platform for looms as a potential ‘killer app’,
automatic wirelessly-triggered developing microcontroller- while forward thinking companies
remedial actions. based prototypes. look to tap into new markets
“We are more concerned with Arduino recently launched slowly, but increasingly, built
realizing true automation than the a low cost IoT-targeted on open source. Collaboration
from the top down. “I’ve been presentation of big data, and we programmable single board will be key, but semiconductor
preaching the IoT almost before are a subscriber to the philosophy computer (or ‘base board’) called companies know it, and are
anyone used the word,” says that the IoT should operate the Arduino Primo (see this issue progressively embracing
Svenn-Tore Larsen, Nordic’s without screens,” continues pg3 and pg16), at the heart of innovation models built on
CEO. “We all know the IoT is a Harnevie. “We believe successful which sits Nordic’s nRF52832 interdependence, as the sector
massive opportunity for wireless. IoT systems should take action System-on-Chip (SoC). as a whole moves towards a
HBR [Harvard Business Review] based on set-policies rather “It has been estimated that the sustainable and bright future.
believes there will be more than than having to ask humans for number of connected devices Rambus and GSA’s “Charting a
28 billion sensors in 2020. Some decisions for every action.” worldwide will increase from New Course for Semiconductors”
people might be skeptical but we The Rambus and GSA report today’s approximately 15 billion report is available from the GSA
firmly believe in that number. claims another possible solution to 200 billion in 2020,” says Global website at gsaglobal.org. 
Open source hardware could be the final frontier for the semiconductor sector

TECHNOLOGY BRIEFING
Wireless charging technology

awaits the first killer app
Adapters and connecting cables are a headache that could be consigned to the
history books by intelligent, wireless charging. But the industry needs to get its act
together first, says Caroline Hayes
Caroline Hayes
is a U.K.-based
technology
journalist
F
or most people, utopia is
a world without wires. No
more rats’ nest of cables
behind equipment or in
drawers, no trailing wires to trip
over while charging phones or
laptops, and no cables to lose or
leave behind in hotels, offices, and
homes.
Such a vision goes some way to
explain why awareness of wireless
charging is growing. More than
three quarters (76 percent, an
increase of 36 percent since 2014)
of respondents to a consumer
survey (Wireless Charging
Consumer Insights Report)
conducted by analysts IHS in The AirFuel Alliance’s resonant
wireless charging allows several
June 2015 had heard of wireless devices to be charged simultaneously
charging technology. However,
just 20 percent of respondents
made use of the technology, and established wireless charging transmitter and receiver coils convenience of a wider field, the
only 16 percent employed it on a technologies, inductive and are tuned to (slightly) different ability to charge through surfaces,
daily basis. resonant. The Airfuel Alliance relatively low frequencies. Again, and the capability to charge
Why is wireless charging, primarily promotes resonant the alternating magnetic field multiple devices simultaneously.
which is as simple in concept as charging (under the ‘Rezence’ generated by the transmitter coil The commercial lines are
placing a smartphone, tablet, specification), while the WPC is converted to electrical current becoming blurred as the most
camera, or smartwatch on a touts its inductive charging by the receiver. recent WPC Qi receivers (built
charging pad or mat, not already standard known as ‘Qi’ With inductive charging, the into mobile devices) can operate
ubiquitous? Part of the reason (pronounced “chee”). transmitter has to be precisely in both inductive and resonant
is because, like consumers, the aligned with the receiver for mode. The operation mode is
industry itself is still getting its act Charging technologies efficient charging to take place. defined by the transmitter. The
together. Groups championing Resonant wireless charging As a result, the range is limited to Airfuel Alliance is also working to
various standards have realigned uses two coils tuned to resonate between 2 to 10 mm, and each incorporate both resonant and
themselves recently with the at the same (relatively high) receiver coil can only power a inductive technologies into a
merger of the Alliance for frequency. The oscillating current single transmitter coil. Resonant single certification to accelerate
Wireless Power (A4WP) and the generated by the primary coil charging is more flexible, with commercialization of its wireless
Power Matters Alliance (PMA) last (in a charging pad) creates an charging over a distance of up to charging.
year to form the Airfuel Alliance – oscillating magnetic field, which 50 mm, and without the need for “The playing field is quite
tasked with promoting consumer- induces an alternating current in the coils to be precisely aligned open, and a first, ‘killer app’ is
friendly wireless charging and its the secondary coil (the receiver, or even parallel to each other. In needed,” says John Leonard,
ecosystem. Another standards housed in the device to be addition, each primary coil can Product Marketing Manager with
body is known as Wireless Power charged) that can be used to do power several secondary coils. Nordic Semiconductor. Adding
Consortium (WPC). (See ULP WQ useful work such as charging a Inductive charging is intelligence using a control loop,
Spring 2016, pg11.) battery. markedly more efficient than managed by Bluetooth low
To make matters even Inductive charging is also resonant technology, but this is energy wireless technology such
more complex, there are two based on two coils, but the countered by resonant charging’s as that supplied by Nordic could

TECHNOLOGY BRIEFING
produce such a differentiating

application.
Unlike Qi, in which charging
pads are live all the time, the
Airfuel Alliance technology uses
Bluetooth low energy wireless
connectivity to periodically check
if a mobile device is present and
needs charging. The bidirectional
wireless link between the
transmitter and receiver coils
allows a Power Transmitter Unit
(PTU) to ‘advertise’ for a Power
Receiving Unit (PRU), such as
a mobile or smartwatch. When Starbucks is pioneering wireless charging
detected, the PTU communicates in some of its U.S. coffee shops
with the PRU over the wireless
link. In this way, the PTU several devices, in part due to the of charging chips supplied by device without interruption while
engages the charging sequence, multichannel communication third parties, as well as software preparing dinner.
determines how much charge is support of chips such as Nordic’s to adapt designs to specific For medical environments,
required, and any other PTUs in nRF51822 Bluetooth low energy requirements. eliminating cables will increase
the vicinity that have detected the solution. Nordic has released a safety and convenience, and also
PRU can return to sleep mode. version of the System-on-Chip Future ambitions contribute to maintaining sterile
This power saving feature (SoC) with a special protocol The ease and convenience of environments by minimizing
could be critical, says Leonard. stack (an ‘S120 SoftDevice’) which resonant charging opens up many contact.
“While generating a field may not enables a PTU to independently design possibilities. Charging Resonant charging in cars will
be significant, it still consumes supervise up to eight charging in the proximity of a PTU with also be convenient and practical.
energy,” he points out. If multiple devices. When used with the Bluetooth low energy control As there is no need for precise
PTUs are placed in a single area company’s nRF51 Wireless means that wireless charging alignment, even if bumps in
for convenience (for example, an Charging Software Development can begin almost without the the road dislodge the mobile,
office), only the one closest to the Kit (SDK), the SoC and SoftDevice user thinking about it. The scope charging continues uninterrupted.
PRU needs to be active. enable developers to design for embedding PTUs into work During the Consumer
Bluetooth low energy resonant wireless charging surfaces or furniture in the home Electronics Show (CES) 2016,
technology’s communication applications for multiple devices. or office appeals to the aesthetics there were announcements
between the PTU and PRU also Support for Bluetooth low of interior design and is practical around wireless charging, some
controls the charge. The PRU energy-enabled wireless charging for users. Leonard cites a future designed to bridge the gulf
can signal when, for example, continues at Nordic, explains scenario of being able to place between WPC’s Qi and the Airfuel
it is 80 percent charged and Leonard, with a reference design a recipe book over a transmitter Alliance’s standards. NuCurrent,
the remainder of the charge planned for release this summer. embedded in the worksurface for example, introduced circular
can be scaled down to avoid The design will address the layout and still wirelessly charge a antennae supporting both
overcharging – a significant standards, and Convenient Power
Support for wireless charging is surging with companies such as
feature considering the dangers NuCurrent announcing a resonator for the Airfuel Alliance standard at CES announced the industry’s first
of overcharging the fragile lithium- 2016. It is pictured with the 20 mm round Qi-type coil Rezence v1.3-certified wireless
ion batteries at the heart of today’s charger.
consumer electronics devices. Wireless charging is even
Leonard believes that the progressing to the automotive
ability of the Airfuel Alliance’s sector, with Mercedes announcing
resonant charging technology that its next-generation Mercedes
to penetrate through surfaces, S-Class Plug-in Hybrid Electric
such as a wooden desk, marks Vehicle (PHEV) will use wireless
the first wave of innovation. charging for its batteries from
Because of resonant charging summer 2017.
technology’s wider field, the So it seems that while progress
device to be charged does not thus far has been slow, the
have to be precisely aligned with proclamation from analysts IHS
the transmitter. The transmitter that “2016 is set to be a great year
pad does not even have to be for wireless charging technology
visible, it can be embedded in designers and electronics
worktops or furniture. This opens manufacturers alike”, appears to
up opportunities for designing be well founded. The consumer
in a PTU to a work surface and will soon start to see the benefits
simultaneously charging a when convenient, intelligent, and
smartphone, tablet computer, and energy-efficient wireless charging
a smartwatch, for example. is integrated into mainstream
A single PTU can devices to accelerate deployment
simultaneously wirelessly charge and design innovation. 

NORDIC INSIDE
Tangram Factory
Smart Rope
This smart jump rope not only counts the
number of successful rope jumps but also
displays the total in the user’s line of sight
According to WinterGreen research the market for smart sports
and fitness devices is set to grow from $3.5 billion in 2014 to $14.9
billion in 2021, as better technology and superior data gathering
capabilities drive adoption. The Tangram Factory Smart Rope, for
example, provides an extensive dataset for post-workout analysis
via the complementary app on the user’s smartphone
Rope jumping is one of the most physically taxing activities,

with three 10 minute sessions per day burning upwards of
400 calories. By comparison engaging in high impact
aerobics, basketball, rowing, squash, swimming, or cross
country skiing for a similar length of time would burn less
than 300 calories.
Alaskan-born Peter Nestler holds a number of extreme jump

rope records including most rope jumps on a unicycle in one
minute, most rope jumps while keeping a soccer ball in the
air in one minute, as well as most jumps while wearing
flippers, and most underwater rope jumps. He also holds the
most rope jumps in one hour record with 12,702 jumps - an
average of 3.5 jumps per second.
Smart Rope’s proprietary sensors detect full 360-degree

revolutions of the rope, tracking them as successful jumps.
The rope itself is embedded with 23 LEDs in a flexible
printed circuit board (FPCB) design, that display the
number of successful jumps in the jumper’s line of vision.
Tangram Factory’s Smart Rope employs Nordic’s nRF51822

System-on-Chip (SoC) to provide Bluetooth low energy
connectivity to smart devices. Powered by a 300-mAh
Li-polymer battery, the Smart Rope can be used for up to
36 hours between recharges.

PEOPLE & PLACES
Chris Hansen
Keen hiker joins Nordic to create new

opportunities from IoT boom
H
i, I’m Chris Hansen and from other groups at Nordic.
I joined Nordic earlier I’m an easy person to work with
this year to manage the and promise to bring beer from
company’s new Internet Portland on my frequent trips to
of Things (IoT) Labs Group based Oslo in an attempt to win friends
in Portland, Oregon, U.S. and influence people!
I previously worked at Intel Outside of work I enjoy outdoor
Corporation where among my activities such as hiking and
many responsibilities I served skiing. Oregon is a great place
on the Bluetooth SIG Board of for both. The Cascade Mountain
Directors. The Board role was Range is an hour’s drive east of
interesting but being an engineer Portland with its prime ski areas
at heart I also joined the technical and thousands of miles of hiking
Core Specification Working trails. West of Portland is home
Group. That’s where I learned to many established hikes that
about the technical details of overlook the Pacific Ocean.
Bluetooth wireless technology. Did I mention beer? It’s not a
I think my biggest contribution Outside of work, Chris Hansen enjoys outdoor activities in the coincidence that the new Nordic
beautiful landscapes near his home in Oregon
to Bluetooth was being the office is situated in the ‘brewery
Chair of the Board during the wireless market because the blocks’ of Portland given that the
establishment and development capacity of the internet is Personal Profile first employee here got a say in
of Bluetooth 4.0 that included going up while the cost is going NAME: the location!
Bluetooth low energy as a down. Simultaneously, there are Chris Hansen Indoors, I like to relax by fixing
hallmark feature. It was a countless devices in homes and job title: and restoring things. Later this
challenge from both a technical businesses that can benefit from Director of IoT Labs year I’ll be restoring a 1970 Ford
joined nordic: Mustang Fastback with my
and organizational perspective low-cost wireless connectivity,
because it involved balancing the monitoring and control. January 2016 14-year old daughter. But my
based:
needs of member organizations Today, the same processes ongoing passion is designing and
Portland, Oregon, U.S.
and target applications, many are in motion in the IoT that repairing old vacuum tube amps.
interests include:
new to Bluetooth technology. happened in computing over Ebay is a great place to buy
Classic car & valve amp
Nordic’s IoT Lab was formed the last 30 years. Not only does restoration, fishing, old amps. My wife gets upset
to enable the company’s devices this make the future of the IoT hiking, skiing every time Fedex shows up with
to become integral to the exciting, it also adds the potential another new amplifier. She says I
tremendous growth of the IoT. to create new IoT business have enough littering the house
The initial focus is on helping opportunities for Nordic in new our design tools and developer already, but I know what she really
developers to connect to the applications and technologies. support, and even on the next means is it could and should have
Internet as easily as possible. My job is to make this happen generations of our silicon. The been another surprise gift for her!
The IoT has the potential starting early in 2017. I predict team in Portland will be very I guess after 22 years of marriage
to be a game changer for the that there will be impacts on small so I am counting on help I’ve still got a bit to learn. 
“The same processes are now in motion in the IoT that previously happened in computing.
This makes the future exciting with the potential to create new opportunities for Nordic”
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A decade of
ultra low power
wireless
AUTOMATION
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con
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Multiprotocol RF
PAN/WAN/IoT
SMARTER THINGS
2006 to 2016
A decade of ultra low power wireless
Building a billion-dollar IoT

company: Bluetooth low energy
is just the beginning
The last ten years and the next decade encompass Nordic Semiconductor’s
IoT strategy. At the midpoint, Nordic’s CEO, Svenn-Tore Larsen, takes stock
O
ver the past ten years, plays out, there will often be years of sleepless of wireless WANs [wide area networks].
Nordic Semiconductor has nights, on-going investment with no revenue, “This technology will be needed by
transformed from a little- criticism and doubt from concerned investors governments, organizations, and individuals
known supplier of sub 1 GHz and analysts, and frankly a lot of tedious and which are be forced to do more with less.
and 2.4 GHz proprietary exhausting work to be done. But you have to Countries face unprecedented challenges,
ultra low power chips into have faith that it will pay off.” such as aging populations and diminishing
the largest Bluetooth low energy solutions workforces. The old economic and business
provider in the world. Such a change resulted Handsome pay off models just aren’t going to be sustainable or
in Nordic being voted 2015’s ‘Outstanding Part of what Larsen refers to is the decision by viable anymore.”
EMEA Semiconductor Company’ by the Nordic to back Bluetooth low energy Larsen says this technology will be massive
Global Semiconductor Alliance. technology. Entering the sector required the in scale: global and ubiquitous; simple to use
But what’s behind this meteoric rise and will company to overcome enormous financial, making it applicable to the mass-market; low
the company be able to sustain it? Svenn-Tore technological, and commercial challenges. “It cost; simple to install and maintain, and
Larsen, Nordic’s CEO for the past 14 years, was almost six years between the birth of battery operable. Such a technology will make
thinks so: he’s predicting the company could [Bluetooth low energy technology’s it possible to bring economies of scale,
become a billion-dollar Internet of Things forerunner] Wibree in 2005 [a technology automation, and optimization to everything.
(IoT) giant in just a few years from now. adopted by the Bluetooth SIG in 2007] before
“The biggest successes in the the first products and any revenues,” Larsen The IoT is the game changer
semiconductor business come from taking explains. “Six years waiting to see if a strategic “The IoT will enhance every aspect of how we
the biggest risks,” says Larsen. “If it’s not bold, decision transitions into a commercially viable live, work, and play in the coming years. That’s
big, and somewhat ‘out-there’, it’s what technology is a lifetime in this business." the real promise; the game changer,” Larsen
everybody else is doing. And if everybody is “But eventually it paid off handsomely,” he explains. “So to me the IoT is inevitable. It will
doing it, the results don't bring significantly continues. “However, today we face greater also be orders of magnitude bigger than
more value to customers and will struggle to challenges to growth than ten years ago.” Bluetooth low energy is today, but will be
differentiate the company competitively. Larsen explains that while outsiders regard impossible to achieve without that
“This doesn’t mean I’m advocating Nordic as a pure Bluetooth low energy technology, making Bluetooth low energy
recklessness. Agonizingly and carefully company, it’s actually been at the forefront of ubiquitous. But the IoT will require much more
thought-through, deliberate, managed risk- the Internet of Things (IoT) for more than a than Bluetooth low energy to operate.”
taking, based on in-depth market and decade. “The IoT can be traced all the way Nordic’s recent recruitment of highly-
customer research, is not reckless. But even back to the world’s first wearables in 2004: talented cellular RF engineers [formerly
so, nobody can predict the future. And [Nordic chip-based] Suunto t6 sportswatches employed by the Finnish arms of Nokia,
between making a decision and seeing if it with wireless heart-rate, speed & distance Ericsson, Motorola, and Broadcom]
monitors, and a computer dongle,” says represents an ambitious bet on a Bluetooth
Larsen. “These were the IoT in miniature PAN low energy-based cellular WAN solution that
[personal area network] format, but Larsen believes will become a fundamental
nonetheless comprised wireless sensors part of the IoT.
bringing data from the real world to the Cloud: “Nobody has more ultra low power wireless
albeit a ‘Cloud’ which then comprised little engineering expertise or is investing so much
more than a computer with Internet access.” revenue in developing the perfect IoT solution
Larsen continues: “Bluetooth low energy than Nordic,” he concludes. “The last ten years
expanded this further by allowing a network and the next ten years are all part of the same
of wireless sensors to talk to a smartphone. story, the only difference from a decade ago is
This is heading towards a wireless sensor that we now know we’re only half way
network able to deliver data to the Cloud from towards our aspiration to become a world-
anywhere in the world via a global ecosystem leading IoT company.” 
“Between making a decision and seeing if it plays

out, there will be years of sleepless nights,
investment with no revenue, and criticism and doubt
from investors and analysts, plus a lot of tedious and
exhausting work. But you have to have faith”
Svenn-Tore Larsen, CEO, Nordic Semiconductor
II | summer 2016 | ulp wQ SPECIAL Supplement

From Wibree to IoT: ten

years of development in
ULP wireless connectivity
In June 2006 Nordic Semiconductor mapped out a strategy to be a leader in a new,
interoperable form of ultra low power wireless technology which was to become
Bluetooth low energy. Today that strategy has played out and the company now sets its
sights on the Internet of Things. Here are some of the milestones passed on the way
T
he last decade has seen Nordic Those early transceivers carved a niche progressed, the company’s staff has found
Semiconductor progress from a powering wireless mice, keyboards, and time to play key roles in the Wibree Alliance,
small niche company to the sportswatches while today SoCs are found in ANT Alliance, and Bluetooth Special Interest
leader in ultra low power (ULP) everything from wearables to home Group (SIG); while management has invested
wireless connectivity. Back in automation, asset tracking to beacons, and heavily in R&D, sales, support, distribution,
2006, the company designed audio streaming to wireless charging. and training. There’s even been a little time to
sub-1 GHz and 2.4 GHz transceivers, running Nordic’s products have found favor with enjoy the kudos that comes from winning
proprietary RF protocol software, teamed developers of all levels of expertise from awards for innovative products and making
with separate 8-bit processors; today it senior engineers with giant consumer outstanding contributions to the chip
dominates in the field of highly-integrated 2.4 electronics companies, through junior industry. This timeline recalls key product,
GHz ULP multiprotocol Systems-on-Chip engineers in start-ups, to makers and application, and business milestones from the
(SoCs) sporting embedded 32-bit ARM M0 hobbyists, and even schoolchildren. last ten years as the company looks forward
and M4F processors. And while this product development has to a new decade dominated by the IoT.
www.nordicsemi.com QUARTER 3 2008
ultra low power ultra low power
U.L.P WIRELESS QUARTER

www.nordicsemi.com www.nordicsemi.com
QUARTER 3 | AUTUMN 2011

BLUETOOTH LOW ENERGY SUMMER ISSUE 2009 MINd GaMING HEadsET WINTER ISSUE 2010
NEW PRODUCT Inside this issue
First Bluetooth low energy Nordic wireless connectivity powers Onboard with the
World’s smallest 2.4GHz wireless SoC solution available early next year revolutionary mind-control gaming Bluetooth SIG
has 8-bit MCU and runs on coin cells Nordic Semiconductor has IMS also forecasts a large market Pioneering wireless mind-control ULP operational characteristics of the Nordic specialist training or equipment to use beyond Wireless monitor improves
previewed its first Bluetooth in remote patient monitoring specialist, Emotiv, is employing Nordic transceivers allows the EPOC’s rechargeable a simple on-screen guided initial setup and
heart health analysis
} The newly released Nordic
Semiconductor nRF24LE1
low energy solution – a
‘single mode’ chip called µBlue that
(such as blood pressure and
glucose monitors) where the
2.4GHz proprietary transceivers in
its off-the-shelf EPOC Neuroheadset platform.
lithium-polymer battery to run for up to 14 hours
of continuous operation between charges –
learn procedure (that can be included as part
of a game). This set-up ensures all 14 sensors
– available in a 4 by 4mm QFN
package – destroys previous size p Stethoscope simulator
will extend classic Bluetooth wireless
connectivity to portable devices
majority of current products are
wired and thus expensive and time
Emotiv is now actively promoting the headset
to the mainstream consumer gaming industry.
enough to satisfy even the most hard-core gamers.
Because the headset has been optimized
(located on self-adjusting arms) are correctly
positioned and making adequate contact The complete guide
restrictions in ultra-low power
(ULP) system-on-chip (SoC) wireless.
sounds like real patient running on small coin cell batteries
(as used in digital watches).
consuming to use and maintain.
Nordic’s single mode µBlue
The EPOC consumer wireless headset can
reliably distinguish between unique electrical
specifically for consumer use it requires no with the user’s head to conduct the minute
electrical signals. Uniquely in the case of the
to Nordic’s chips
By integrating the industry’s u Tape and reeled ‘drop- Bluetooth low energy is the next range will be based on a single brain patterns produced when a wearer EPOC headset, this includes being able to
best 2.4GHz transceiver core (the in’ nRF24LE1 modules evolution of Bluetooth technology chip architecture integrating thinks of performing various computer game- operate through hair, which is normally a
nRF24L01+) and a mixed signal that, by consuming only a fraction the company’s latest ultra low applicable actions such as left/right, natural electrical insulator.
8-bit microcontroller with flash of the power of classic Bluetooth, power radio with baseband plus push/pull, lift/drop, rotate, and vanish.
memory, the nRF24LE1 can will allow the short-range wireless a microcontroller with fully If, for example, the wearer thinks Enriched gaming experience
simultaneously run both the RF standard to extend to coin cell embedded software stack. The device of ‘pushing’, a gaming object will be “Gamers can now interact with the virtual
protocol stack and application layer battery applications for the first will operate with ultra low peak and propelled away from them, and if they world by the power of thought alone,” explains
on just a single chip. time. In addition, in typical target micro ampere average currents. think ‘pull’, it will be drawn towards Geoff Mackellar, Research Manager and
This makes the nRF24LE1 the applications, battery lifetimes The first product in the the user. CTO at Emotiv. “This will enrich the gaming
smallest one chip solution available will extend to many months or company’s µBlue range will include Emotiv says the headset experience beyond all recognition as
today to address the performance, even years. Nordic’s µBlue will bring ultra low the nRF8001 – a single mode slave – which additionally it will allow gamers to interact with
power consumption and pricing power Bluetooth to the wireless incorporates a gaming content in entirely new and
p Nordic joins ANT+ In operation, Bluetooth low
desktop and many other coin
chip ideal for watches, sensors and
gyroscope to detect seemingly magical ways that can include
requirements (by eliminating the energy wireless technology will be remote controls – scheduled to
need for a more costly external
Alliance cell-powered applications movement – is more accurate emotional responses from virtual
implemented using two different be generally available early 2010
microcontroller) of the exploding u Easing the challenge of types of chip called ‘single mode’ energy because it is expected shortly after the official release of than just a ‘brain-powered joystick’. It characters. In fact it could be just what the
ULP wireless applications market. rich set of analogue and digital layer with ease. can also detect facial expressions and even gaming market needs to take it to the next
RF design (part 2) and ‘dual mode’. to become a de facto feature of, the 1.0 version of the Bluetooth low
emotional states (for example, excitement, ‘must have’ product level.”
The nRF24LE1 confirms Nordic’s peripherals. In contrast, competing A wide range of peripherals and Single mode ‘Bluetooth low for example, almost all new energy specification.
position as the leader in the ULP solutions still employ transceivers power saving modes support the energy only’ chips will deliver the Bluetooth-enabled cell phones and IMS predicts over 13 million Nordic pioneered the ultra low calmness, tension, frustration or engagement)
wireless category. The nRF24LE1 with peak currents too high for RF protocol stack. A ULP 32kHz ultra low power (ULP) consumption computers. Bluetooth low energy-enabled sports power wireless sector with a family to modify the game’s performance, allowing
pushes back the boundaries of ULP coin-cell battery operation and crystal oscillator provides high promised by Bluetooth low energy, According to analyst IMS devices (tapping into the trend to of proprietary products and says on-screen characters to respond empathetically
wireless operation exhibiting peak come in package sizes of 6 by 6mm accuracy timing for low report while dual mode chips will marry Research1, Bluetooth low energy track and measure performance µBlue represents an extension of to the user’s inputs.
currents low enough to run on coin and above.” rate synchronous protocols and classic Bluetooth technology and could become the fastest ever for motivational purposes by ‘after- this heritage into the interoperable
cell batteries. The nRF24LE1 integrates a a 16MHz RC oscillator provides Bluetooth low energy in a single shipping wireless technology and training’ data analysis), and over standards-based market sector. ■ Extended battery life
“The nRF24LE1 is a truly unique fully-featured nRF24L01+ 2.4GHz fast start-up times from idle. The chip at a very small (if any) price hit one billion units by 2013. This 16 million Bluetooth low energy- In operation, electrical brain data from 14
REFERENCES Nordic RF technology
wireless SoC solution,” says Thomas transceiver core including Nordic’s 32kHz oscillator can provide timing increment compared with current number includes dual mode chips enabled watches. (Bluetooth low 1. Data taken from the following IMS Research reports independent sensors on the EPOC headset sends information from
(see www.imsresearch.com): the EPOC headset to
Embla Bonnerud, Product Manager proven Enhanced ShockBurst™ accurate enough for higher report Bluetooth silicon. What dual mode that are expected to be installed energy is predicted to revive World Market for Bluetooth Low Energy Technology (2008) is transmitted to a USB wireless dongle
a gaming console to
for Ultra Low Power Wireless at hardware link layer, and integrates rate protocols without requiring an will drive, however, is the rapid as standard in around 70 percent what until now has been a declining
World Market for Sports Performance Monitors (2008)
Wireless Opportunities in Remote Patient Monitoring (2009)
using Nordic Semiconductor 2.4GHz enable a unique gaming
Nordic. an enhanced 8051 mixed signal external crystal. deployment of Bluetooth low of cell phones. Further, global watch market.) ultra low power (ULP) transceivers. The experience
“Not only is it the first microcontroller core featuring A security co-processor
solution enabling single chip fewer clock cycles per instruction supports AES encrypted wireless
p Will Bluetooth low Bluetooth low Ultra low power An insider’s view NEWS • TRENDS • COMMENT • FEATURES • RF DESIGN TIPS • PEOPLE & FACES
implementations of ultra-low than legacy 8051 devices. communication. The nRF24LE1 energy the choice wireless wins of Bluetooth low
power wireless applications, but we Most instructions need just one provides a range of nanoamp and
energy make IR retire? for health care Tour de France energy wireless Nordic radios New markets RF remote
have also been able to provide this or two clock cycles leading to an microamp idle modes specifically u Press Articles: Design Jack Shandle explains why Recipe for lunacy or the ULP Wireless Quarter speaks soon available in open, traditional control reaches
chip in the same 4 by 4mm package average performance improvement designed for ULP RF protocol stacks. Continua Health Alliance has ultimate test for with Anders Edlund of the ultra small size markets expand tipping point
Further benefits include higher
News and EDN China chosen Bluetooth low energy professional athletes? Bluetooth SIG to find out more Wafer level chip scale In 2010, Bluetooth low Consumer demand
size as our nRF24L01+ standalone of 8X using the Million Instructions
and ZigBee Health Care for the ‘Le Tour’s’ participants about the group’s plans for the
transceiver. Per Second (MIPS) benchmark. precision protocol timing, lower
power consumption and improved
next version of its medical make it to Paris with a little coin cell extension to the
package options of
Nordic’s leading
energy became reality
and new sectors
and cheaper pricing is
pushing RF remotes COVER STORY
“That is quite incredible This high performance device Design Guidelines 6 help from ANT and Nordic 14 Bluetooth standard 9 2.4GHz transceivers adopted proprietary towards mass-market
considering the fact that in
addition to the transceiver the
combined with 16kbytes of on-
chip flash plus 1kbyte of SRAM
co-existence performance.
For the application layer, the DESIGN COMPETITION: BLUETOOTH SIG CALLS FOR ENTRIES TO INNOVATION WORLD CUP - 15
will arrive in 2011 2 tech. By Jack Shandle 6 acceptance 9 Tour’s top sprinter
nRF24LE1 includes a fully-featured
mixed signal microcontroller,
ensures the processing platform is
powerful enough to run both the
interfaces and peripherals include
an SPI, 2-wire, UART, 12-bit ADC, NEWS • TRENDS • INTERVIEWS • FEATURES • RF DESIGN TIPS • PEOPLE & FACES
BLUETOOTH LOW ENERGY: MAKING A QUICK START WITH THIS NEW TECHNOLOGY – PAGE 14
The Bluetooth™ word mark and logo are registered trademarks and are owned by the Bluetooth SIG
recovers wirelessly
16kbytes of flash memory and a RF protocol stack and application PWM and analogue comparator. p People & faces The Bluetooth™ word mark and logo are registered trademarks and are owned by the Bluetooth SIG
WELCOME TO ULP WIRELESS QUARTER

This is the 9th issue of Nordic’s quarterly newsletter. It will keep you updated on the latest news
and developments in ultra-low power (ULP) wireless and is supplied free-of-charge.
ULP Wireless Q has covered key milestones in Nordic’s success since June 2006
The Bluetooth™ word mark and logo are registered trademarks and are owned by the Bluetooth SIG
QUARTER 2 | summer 2012 quarter 3 | autumn 2013 QUARTER 3 | AUTUMN 2014 QUARTER 3 | AUTUMN 2015
Software unlocks
Rosy future for the IoT wireless technology
Time is right for Beacons: Putting the
smart watches customer first
Crowdfunding picks
Mouse inventor up momentum
remembered
Nordic reveals class
changing nRF51 Series Cover story COVER STORY
pioneer selects aNt Best chess player in Nordic tech

understanding what history teams up tracks Pikes
Bluetooth Smart means with Nordic Peak racers
COVER STORY Wireless charging’s
ulp wireless connectivity evolution
enters a new era COVER STORY Training tomorrow’s
software engineers
Getting more from How Bluetooth
fitness monitoring was born
III | summer 2016 | ulp wQ SPECIAL Supplement

A decade of
ultra low power
wireless
AUTOMATION
S
IC
SP
ON
OR
CTR
TS
ELE
AN
D
ER
FIT
UM
NE
NS
SS
CO
MOBILE ACCESSORIES
GAMING
LS
HE
RA
ALT
HE
RIP
HC
PE
AR
E
PC
TOYS
nRF Future SoC
Multiprotocol RF
PAN/WAN/IoT
SMARTER THINGS
2006 to 2016
As Nordic celebrates its

Ant powered Point and click Nordic inside Fitbit Wireless wins tour Affordable RF Boosted battery life Cycling fun Google support Real time fitness tracking Battery life extended 200 cards in one success in Bluetooth low
Finnish sportswatch maker Suunto The nRF24L01 chip was used to U.S. fitness company Fitbit selected Nine out of the top ten riders in road remote control Casio’s G-SHOCK watch used Pioneer, the Japanese consumer completes picture adidas’ FIT SMART fitness tracker Nordic’s nRF51822 SoC helped Maneul Lab’s “The Card” uses Nordic’s energy, a new generation of
chose Nordic’s nRF2401A transceiver power Philips’ wireless mouse which the nRF24AP1 ANT chip for its Fitbit cycling’s premier event, the Tour de Philips choose Nordic 2.4 GHz Nordic’s nRF8001 Bluetooth low electronics giant, selected Nordic’s Google announced support for eliminated the need for separate Logitech’s engineers to extend the nRF51822 SoC to power a secure IoT wireless SoCs is under
and ANT’s RF protocol software for boasted one-year battery life and was Tracker and wireless base station. At France, relied on Nordic ANT chips to wireless technology, including the energy chip to communicate with nRF24AP2 ANT chip for its Bluetooth 4.0 making it easier for sensors to gather data. The company battery life of its Ultrathin keyboard solution, for a range of payment intensive development
its t6 heart rate monitor, one of the unveiled at CES, the world's largest the time the company was just twelve monitor their performance during the nRF24LU1+, for its Bellagio controller smartphones while boasting a Potter-Navi bike computer for guiding Bluetooth low energy devices to employed nRF51822 SoCs to send for the iPad Air 2 to around options, that replaces up to 200 cash,
world’s first ‘wearables’ consumer electronics event months old 2009 edition of the race which incorporated a scroll wheel battery life of two years riders while gathering fitness data connect with the Android platform information to smartphones two years membership, and security cards
A decade of ultra low power

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 wireless is published on
behalf of Nordic
Semiconductor by Ecritech
www.ecritech.com
Editor
Steven Keeping
e-mail: steven@ecritech.com
Contributing Editor
Andrew Woolls-King
e-mail: andrew@ecritech.com
Art Editor
Tim Plummer
e-mail: production@ecritech.com
Image Editor
Neale Hobday
Dime-sized USB dongles e-mail: production@ecritech.com
The nRF24LU1 was an nRF24L01 Print & Distribution
transceiver-based single chip solution Printech Europe
for a USB dongle, could support up
CD quality wireless to five wireless desktop peripherals, World’s smallest 2.4 GHz Power consumption Bluetooth low energy Ultra low power wireless Low cost nrf51 series Over-the-air updates Barrier breaking
audio and ran Nordic's nRF2601 Wireless SoC introduced slashed chip first Smart remote redefined A low cost 128 kB Flash (instead of the The Nordic S110 v7.0 SoftDevice, performance Building the IoT
Desktop Protocol software
The nRF24Z1 stereo audio The nRF24LE1, a chip integrating The nRF24AP2 single-channel Nordic introduces one of the first The first nRFready 2.4 GHz RF Smart The launch of the nRF51822 standard product’s 256 kB capacity) self-contained RF protocol software Building on the success of the nRF51 Software Development Kits like the
streamer featured a 4 Mbit/s data 2.4 GHz radio, 8-bit microcontroller, and eight-channel single chip ANT Bluetooth low energy products in Remote reference design simplified multiprotocol- and nRF51422 version of the nRF51822 allowed for the nRF51 Series, was launched. Series architecture, the new nRF52 nRF5 SDK for Eddystone (beacons)
rate supporting streaming of audio and Flash memory in a 4 by 4 mm transceivers set new benchmarks for the form of the nRF8001 single- the development of advanced RF ANT-SoCs bring highly-integrated price-sensitive product makers to The software was Bluetooth Series nRF52832 SoC combined and nRF5 SDK for HomeKit (home Subscribe
in 16-bit 48 kHz stereo which was QFN package, was the smallest ultra low power current consumption mode peripheral chip for watches, remotes for consumer appliances hardware (comprising ARM Cortex-M0 enjoy the SoC’s powerful wireless 4.1-compliant and facilitated an ARM Cortex-M4F processor, automation) simplify application
put to use in Asono’s DAB radio ULP wireless System-on-Chip at during RF operation sensors, and remote controls processor, 2.4 GHz radio, Flash, capabilities but at lower cost over-the-air firmware upgrades enhanced 2.4 GHz radio, 512 kB development for the burgeoning
its introduction and RAM), and a novel software Flash, and 64 kB RAM to produce the IoT sector
Wibree adopted architecture (separating RF protocol world’s most powerful single-chip Talk to @NordicTweets
Nordic fully supported the merger and application code) to ultra low ULP IC market booms Bluetooth low energy solution
of the Wibree Alliance with the power wireless for the first time Analyst ABI Research forecast that
Bluetooth Special Interest Group the ultra low power wireless chip
(SIG) which brought the fledgling market would surpass $2 billion in Like us
interoperable ultra low power

technology into the established $29.5m 500,000,000 value in as little as three years
Bluetooth ecosystem. Nordic

immediately became an associate
Record Q1 financials Half a billion ICs shipped
ULP wireless in health
Follow us
member of the Bluetooth SIG Nordic reported record financial During the Summer of 2011 Nordic
Nordic joined the Continua Health results with group revenue of shipped its 500 millionth 2.4 GHz ultra
Alliance, a grouping established to $29.5 million in the quarter, up 182 low power wireless chip
promote specifications and design percent compared to the prior year Join online forum:
guidelines for connected health devzone.nordicsemi.com
management devices
Supporting education
Nordic became a partner in the Industry ‘Oscar’ winner
Nordic sponsors chess British Broadcasting Corporation’s Nordic won the Global
Wireless initiative ANT acquired Joining the ANT alliance great Magnus Carlsen Logitech receives one micro:bit initiative. The company’s Semiconductor Alliance’s
Nordic became a founder member of GPS equipment maker Garmin’s Nordic joined the then 70-company Bluetooth 4.0 adopted Ant chip named Elected to the board nRF51 Series recognized The company announced sponsorship billionth chip nRF51822 SoC was chosen to coveted Outstanding EMEA
Nokia’s Wibree initiative which aimed acquisition of Dynastream strong ANT+ Alliance in a move The Bluetooth Core Specification networking finalist Nordic Director Svein-Egil Nielsen by ANT wireless of the world’s greatest ever chess One of Nordic’s longest standing power the Bluetooth low energy Semiconductor Company award. The Bluetooth® word mark and
logos are registered trademarks
to develop an interoperable wireless Innovations, the developer of the designed to both strengthen the 4.0, which, for the first time, included The nRF24AP2 was named a was elected to the Board of the Nordic was awarded the ANT+ player, Magnus Carlsen. Carlsen was customers, desktop peripherals maker connectivity and main processing The award was presented in owned by the Bluetooth SIG, Inc.
technology to connect smartphones ANT wireless protocol, boosted design partnership with ANT Bluetooth low energy as a hallmark finalist in the networking category Bluetooth Special Interest Group Premier Developer prize in the 2012 the highest ranking points holder in Logitech, was the fitting recipient of functions of the programmable recognition of the company’s and any use of such marks by Nordic
Semiconductor is under license.
to wireless peripherals powered from the prospects of Nordic’s Wireless and enhance support for its feature, is officially adopted by the of the prestigious U.S.-based EDN and later become Chair of the ANT+ Alliance awards for its the history of the game and went on the Nordic’s one billionth 2.4 GHz ULP device destined to end up on the pioneering work with
small batteries nRF24AP1 ANT chip ANT chip customers Bluetooth Special Interest Group Innovation Awards organization nRF51 Series SoCs to become world champion wireless chip shipment hands of a million schoolchildren Bluetooth low energy technology © Nordic Semiconductor 2016
ulp wQ SPECIAL Supplement | summer 2016 | Vi

ULP wireless pioneer’s past

builds toward an IoT future
After a decade developing Bluetooth low energy technology, three senior
Nordic executives tell how the company is using that experience to build its
next platform, ultra low power wireless connectivity for the IoT
B
luetooth low energy
technology’s success looks like it
was always assured. But ten
years ago no one could be
certain if the fledgling
technology would catch on. A
similar situation is now emerging with the IoT.
“The IoT is a race to win the battle of the
Cloud-connected socket,” says Svein-Egil
Nielsen, the company’s CTO. “Wiring is
expensive to install and maintain so the
sockets will be wireless. Success will depend
on how many things a device can connect to
and how easily and cost-effectively it can do Svein-Egil Nielsen, Thomas Embla Bonnerud, Geir Langeland,
that. Standards aid both those factors, that’s Nordic’s Chief Technology Officer Nordic’s Director of Product Management Nordic’s Director of Sales & Marketing
why standards will be fundamental to the IoT.

“But nobody knows which of several superior Betamax would win over VHS, but terminals used in retail. There were no
wireless standards is going to dominate. we know how that one played out.” guarantees for the low energy version.”
Nordic is developing what it thinks will be a “Nobody really knew if Bluetooth low However, according to Geir Langeland,
game-changing IoT technology based on energy was a viable technology in its early Nordic’s Director of Sales & Marketing, one
Bluetooth low energy wireless, days either,” reflects Nielsen, who apart from thing the company was confident about was
but we’re not naïve or his senior role with Nordic was also Chair of that a low energy form of Bluetooth would be
arrogant enough to think the Bluetooth SIG from 2011 to 2013. “Before based on an ultra low power [ULP] wireless
that automatically Bluetooth low energy, ‘classic’ Bluetooth technology similar to that which Nordic had
qualifies us to hit a home had only proven itself in wireless pioneered in the early 2000s. Nordic’s
run. Sony, for example, data transfer between mobile technology consumed little power because
thought a technically devices, audio, and [less well the radio devices slept for most of the time -
known] wireless payment waking up very quickly to send data, and
returning to sleep as soon as possible. Such
techniques allowed the company’s
technology to operate for months from
batteries as small as the coin cells found in
watches, while also offering good bandwidth.
“Long experience gave Nordic a technical
and commercial edge in the ULP sector,” says
Langeland. “So we made the decision to
promote Bluetooth low energy technology
like crazy, while investing heavily in R&D to
ensure the products would lead their class.
The result of this ambitious program was the
first commercial Bluetooth low energy chip in
2010 [nRF8001], intensive developer training,
and continuously evangelizing to the world
how great Bluetooth low energy was for
enabling battery-powered wireless
applications that weren’t previously viable.”
Such an ambitious strategy wasn’t easy for a
small, relatively unknown Norwegian company
with a track record solely in proprietary ULP
wireless technology to pull off.
“It did feel like the established Bluetooth
technology semiconductor players
dismissively laughed at our aspirations to
break into the sector,” recalls Thomas Embla
Bonnerud, Nordic’s Director of Product
ulp wQ SPECIAL Supplement | summer 2016 | Vii

Management. “But they’re not laughing now.” today’s standards, embodied all the basic chip solution that offers such high levels of
“Bluetooth low energy didn’t play out well design elements of the IoT. “The t6 started the processing power combined with ultra low
for the established Bluetooth players,” IoT race for Nordic,” he says. “As such, the IoT power consumption that some customers
continues Svein-Egil Nielsen. “For example, is not new to us, and we have now been have specified the chip as the main processor
Broadcom sold its ULP wireless business and working on IoT technology for 15 years.” for their product and almost see the
CSR was acquired. These were worthy Bluetooth low energy technology as a bonus.
competitors just two or three years ago, but More than just great products And that’s not to mention industry-first
they couldn’t make their Bluetooth low Semiconductor development always travels in functionality such as NFC ‘Touch-to-Pair’.”
energy products successful.” one direction: greater performance with SoCs like the nRF51 and nRF52 Series,
Nielsen believes that Nordic’s success is reduced size and power consumption. Nordic together with design tools and Software
down to a lack of the large company has followed this path with its successive ULP Development Kits (SDKs), are already
inflexibility that plagued its competitors. “Big chip generations. But Bonnerud points out allowing enterprising developers to come up
firms were focused on blue-chip accounts; a that there’s much more to a successful with applications that utilize IPv6 over
mistake when much of the activity in ULP semiconductor company than hardware and Bluetooth low energy - thus allowing sensors
wireless technology was in small companies software enhancements. to connect directly to the Internet without the
and start-ups. He cites the example of a two- “I always believed the difference between need of sophisticated and expensive
man company that nobody but Nordic took Nordic and its competitors was leadership gateways. Such applications are building the
seriously. Today that company is the world’s and the ability to inspire and surprise foundations of the IoT.
most successful wearables firm. developers,” he notes. It’s a development not missed by Svein-Egil
Bonnerud cites the example of Nordic’s Nielsen: “ULP wireless and powerful
A common history nRF51 Series. Apart from class-leading embedded processors will be the main drivers
Many industry observers make the mistake of hardware, the device was the first Bluetooth of the IoT,” he says. “But to make the most of
thinking that the Internet of Things (IoT) is a low energy System-on-Chip to separate the the hardware, developers need affordable,
new sector. But Nordic has been connecting application code from the RF protocol easy wireless connectivity that works with
‘things’ to the Internet for well over a decade.
For example, developed with Nordic from
2002, and officially launched in 2004, the “It did feel like the established Bluetooth technology
nRF2401A-based t6 sportswatch from Finnish semiconductor players dismissively laughed at our
company Suunto was the world’s first aspirations to break into the sector. But they’re not
wearable. It used the ANT RF software
protocol developed by Canadian company, laughing now” Thomas Embla Bonnerud Nordic’s Director of Product Management
Dynastream, that at the time only ran on
Nordic chips. The venture was the first of software (or ‘stack’). This allowed developers existing infrastructure and standards, plus
many successful joint design-wins with ANT. with little RF expertise to port their code to design tools that are simple enough not to
The Suunto sportswatch was also Nordic’s the chip using Nordic’s development tools place limits on creativity and innovation. And
second most significant customer application with no risk of corrupting the elegantly- we don’t want to add any complications such
design win after Logitech—the Swiss-based engineered Bluetooth low energy stack. as making customers sign non-disclosure
personal peripherals company—specified “Nordic spent millions in R&D dollars to agreements or go through lengthy
Nordic’s ULP proprietary wireless technology launch the nRF51 Series with its unique registration procedures.”
into its keyboards and mice in 2003. This was separated software and, in addition to many But the support doesn’t stop there: “I don’t
shortly after CEO Svenn-Tore Larsen joined happy customers, we also ensured our think there’s a ULP wireless semiconductor
the company and made the strategic decision competitors had to scrap all their existing company in the world that has more ULP
to transform Nordic from a consultancy- product plans, some of which must have been wireless engineers than Nordic, and no other
based business into a standard components very advanced, and spend millions of dollars company is putting the revenue we’re putting
based one specializing in ULP wireless. over the next several years simply to catch up into developing the ‘perfect’ IoT solution,”
“Logitech was the customer that put with what we’d done,” says Bonnerud. explains Nielsen.
Nordic Semiconductor on the map,” explains “We extended our leadership with the “Proof of this will come from next year
Geir Langeland. “It gave us crucial scale and nRF52 Series, a Bluetooth low energy single- when you can expect to see a ‘tsunami’ of
credibility in our start-up days and supported Nordic Bluetooth low energy and IoT
serious investment in the company and its products designed to for every major market
ULP technology from thereon.” and to meet every major application.”
The partnership with Logitech remains Geir Langeland summarizes where all of
strong to this day with Nordic shipping its Nordic’s hard work is heading: “If you want to
billionth ULP wireless chip in December 2014, see how the IoT market will impact the
and that billionth device going to Logitech for world, the closest parallel right now is the
use in a commercial product. shift to driverless technology in the
The early experience with wireless desktop automotive industry,” he says. “Every major
peripherals was more valuable for building an carmaker in the world is hedging their bets,
IoT platform than it might first appear. because they know the impact of such a shift
“The needs of wireless keyboards and mice would consolidate the car, taxi, and
talking to a computer dongle, and wireless transportation industries into one where
sportswatches talking to various wireless anybody can just rent a car when they need
peripherals are identical to today’s it for a fraction of the cost of owning one and
wearables,” explains Thomas Embla with none of the hassle.
Bonnerud. “Wearables have always been a “Factor in the possibility of highway speed
core market for Nordic and continue to be so. limits being abolished, traffic jams eliminated,
All our chips have been designed for wearable and fatal road traffic accidents slashed, and
applications and no company in the world has it’s impossible to see why anyone would want
more experience of doing this than us.” to stop this revolution. The IoT is going to
The significance of all this, says Bonnerud, The Nordic-powered Suunto t6 sportswatch offer very similar disruptive benefits, but
is that the Suunto t6, although primitive by was the world's first wireless fitness wearable across a much broader range of industries.” 
VIII | summer 2016 | ulp wQ SPECIAL Supplement

Unleash your ideas
on the nRF52 DK
- it can handle it
Available now
$39
Bluetooth Cortex M4F NFC Security Flash Over the Air Upgrades
Software and tools freely available on

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quarter 2 | summer 2016

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Wireless transmitters deliver pinpoint location information

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New Eddystone beacon format

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Building the BBC micro:bit

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www.nordicsemi.com ulp wireless quarter | summer 2016 | 11

ULP Wireless Q now available on

Nordic Semiconductor’s ULP Wireless Q keeps you up to date on

automatically beacon security

12 | summer 2016 | ulp wireless quarter www.nordicsemi.com

www.nordicsemi.com ulp wireless quarter | summer 2016 | 13

Ultra low power wireless connectivity solutions

IC Type On-Chip Peripherals Applications

Sports & Fitness

Real Time Clock

16MHz Crystal Key Tag, nRFgo Dev Kit,

2kB + 256B RAM PC Desktop, Smart Remote, nRFgo Dev Kit,

2kB + 256B RAM PC Desktop, Smart Remote, nRFgo Dev Kit,

nRF24L01+ 2.4GHz Proprietary  – – 16MHz Crystal      – Eval Kit

433 / 868 4 / 8 / 12 / 16 / 20MHz

Arduino readies for the IoT

16 | summer 2016 | ulp wireless quarter www.nordicsemi.com

Over the horizon: what next for

18 | summer 2016 | ulp wireless quarter www.nordicsemi.com

Industry experts appear to

www.nordicsemi.com ulp wireless quarter | summer 2016 | 19

Wireless charging technology

20 | summer 2016 | ulp wireless quarter www.nordicsemi.com

produce such a differentiating

www.nordicsemi.com ulp wireless quarter | summer 2016 | 21

Rope jumping is one of the most physically taxing activities,

Alaskan-born Peter Nestler holds a number of extreme jump

Smart Rope’s proprietary sensors detect full 360-degree

Tangram Factory’s Smart Rope employs Nordic’s nRF51822

22 | summer 2016 | ulp wireless quarter www.nordicsemi.com

Keen hiker joins Nordic to create new

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www.nordicsemi.com ulp wireless quarter | summer 2016 | 23

Building a billion-dollar IoT

nRF24L01+ 2.4GHz Proprietary – – 16MHz Crystal – Eval Kit