Nordic Semiconductor, a developer of low-power wireless connectivity solutions, has announced industry-first support for Bluetooth Channel Sounding using its open source Android app. The nRF Toolbox app completes Nordic’s end-to-end Bluetooth Channel Sounding offering and is ideal for customers building smartphone-connected products that will leverage its next generation nRF54L Series system on chips (SoCs) and Bluetooth Channel Sounding.
The Bluetooth Channel Sounding support in the nRF Toolbox app is showcased in a public demo, shown above, using the nRF54L series and a Google Pixel 10 smartphone. Using Nordic’s nRF54L15 Development Kit acting as a Channel sounding reflector and the smartphone, Nordic has demonstrated end-to-end interoperability between Android’s built-in Bluetooth Channel Sounding API and algorithm and Nordic’s hardware and Bluetooth stack. The result is a reliable and accurate distance estimation of ±1 m up to 20 m range, enabling a wide range of distance ranging, indoor positioning or presence detection applications across multiple industries and sectors.
Developers can use Nordic’s Bluetooth Channel Sounding solution for dedicated Bluetooth LE tags that
Source: Nordic Semiconductor enable accurate item finding, tracking medical equipment in hospitals, employees in industrial workplaces, customers in a museum or retail setting and more. Channel Sounding reflector capabilities are supported by all nRF54L series ultra-low power wireless SoCs, with straightforward development using samples from the nRF Connect SDK.
“Bluetooth Channel Sounding is one of the biggest enhancements to Bluetooth LE, and Nordic is proud to lead its adoption,” said Petter Myhre, product marketing director at Nordic Semiconductor. “By combining the nRF54L series with our new open-source Android app, we provide developers with the tools they need to explore, evaluate, and build innovative smartphone-connected products.”
Nordic played a key role in developing the Bluetooth Channel Sounding standard, continuing to be a pioneer and driving Bluetooth LE technology forward. With billions of Nordic Bluetooth LE SoCs shipped, most connecting to smartphones, Nordic’s proven reputation for industry-leading interoperability now extends to Bluetooth Channel Sounding.
Nordic will show the Bluetooth Channel Sounding demo at Embedded World North America from November 4-6, at booth 6033, Hall C — Level 1, at the Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, California. The app can be downloaded here.
