cnx-software.com [Unofficial]20h ago

XIAO nRF54LM20A (Sense) board enables ultra-low-power Bluetooth 6.0, Matter, Thread, Zigbee, or 2.4 GHz proprietary applications

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.cnx-software.com/2026/06/30/xiao-nrf54lm20a-sense-board-enables-ultra-low-power-bluetooth-6-0-matter-thread-zigbee-or-2-4-ghz-proprietary-applications/

XIAO nRF54LM20A (Sense) board enables ultra-low-power Bluetooth 6.0, Matter, Thread, Zigbee, or 2.4 GHz proprietary applications

Seeed Studio XIAO nRF54LM20A and XIAO nRF54LM20A Sense are tiny USB-C IoT boards based on Nordic Semiconductor's nRF54LM20A wireless SoC offering Bluetooth 6.0, Matter, Thread, Zigbee, NFC, Amazon Sidewalk, and 2.4 GHz proprietary connectivity. Both variants come with on-chip 2 MB flash and 512 KB RAM, as well as an 8 MB flash, an nPM1300 PMIC for power management, up to 28 GPIOs, and an RGB LED. The Sense model adds a digital microphone and 6-axis IMU with motion-triggered wake-up for ultra-low power applications. XIAO nRF54LM20A (Sense) specifications: Wireless SoC – Nordic Semiconductor nRF54LM20A CPU Arm Cortex-M33 application processor clocked at up to 128 MHz RISC-V coprocessor running at 128 MHz Memory – 512 kB of RAM Storage – 2 MB of Non-Volatile Memory (NVM) Wireless Bluetooth LE 6.0 with PHY rates of 125 kbit/s, 500 kbit/s, 1 Mbit/s, and 2 Mbit/s Bluetooth Channel Sounding, Bluetooth LE long range (coded PHY),

CNX Software - Embedded Systems News
cnx-software.com [Unofficial]Jun 23

Coin-cell powered Nordic nRF54L15 Tag prototyping platform supports Bluetooth Channel Sounding, Matter, Edge AI

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.cnx-software.com/2026/06/23/nordic-nrf54l15-tag-prototyping-platform-supports-bluetooth-channel-sounding-matter-edge-ai/

Coin-cell powered Nordic nRF54L15 Tag prototyping platform supports Bluetooth Channel Sounding, Matter, Edge AI

Nordic Semiconductor has launched the nRF54L15 Tag, a tiny coin-cell-powered prototyping platform designed to accelerate the development of ultra-low-power wireless IoT devices, including asset trackers compatible with the Apple Find My and Google Find Hub ecosystems. Built around the company’s nRF54L15 wireless SoC, the 33 mm-diameter tag uses a 2.4 GHz radio and includes two on-board antennas to improve distance-measurement reliability with Bluetooth Channel Sounding. The platform also integrates a 6-axis IMU and an environmental sensor, which can be used in tracking, sensing, and basic edge processing applications. Nordic nRF54L15 Tag specifications: Wireless MCU – Nordic Semi nRF54L15 wireless SoC CPU Arm Cortex-M33 @ up to 128 MHz RISC-V coprocessor for “software-defined peripheral” Memory – 256 KB SRAM Storage – 1.5MB Non-volatile Memory (NVM) Wireless Bluetooth LE 6.0 (includes Channel Sounding) Thread, Zigbee (IEEE 802.15.4-2020) Matter Amazon Sidewalk Proprietary 2.4 GHz protocols with a new 4 Mbps mode NFC support Aliro (a

CNX Software - Embedded Systems News
cnx-software.com [Unofficial]Jun 6

Docker for Microcontrollers? AkiraOS combines Zephyr RTOS with WebAssembly (WASM) applications

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.cnx-software.com/2026/06/06/docker-for-microcontrollers-akiraos-combines-zephyr-rtos-with-webassembly-wasm-applications/

Docker for Microcontrollers? AkiraOS combines Zephyr RTOS with WebAssembly (WASM) applications

AkiraOS is a Zephyr-based embedded OS that runs sandboxed WebAssembly applications on microcontrollers and lets users deploy and update firmware OTA without reflashing. In other words, it's similar to Docker containers, but for microcontrollers. The open-source embedded platform separates the OS from the application. That means the firmware stays stable, while apps are independent .wasm binaries deployable over-the-air without touching the OS, and portable so a single binary works on ESP32-S3, nRF5x, or STM32 MCU boards. AkiraOS highlights: User space Up to 8 wasm apps can be installed Up to two apps can run at the same time Footprint: 50KB to 200KB per app Akiraz runtime - Custom WASM runtime App Manager UI Framework with 32 widgets Shell/console 18 API modules WebAssembly Micro Runtime (WAMR) - Two options: Interpreter or Ahead-Of-Time (AOT) compilation with 10 to 50x higher performance RTOS - Zephyr RTOS Scheduler Network stack HTTP for OTA updates

CNX Software - Embedded Systems News
cnx-software.com [Unofficial]Jun 2

Nordic adds AI-assisted development to the nRF Connect SDK and nRF Cloud

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.cnx-software.com/2026/06/02/nordic-adds-ai-assisted-development-to-the-nrf-connect-sdk-and-nrf-cloud/

Nordic adds AI-assisted development to the nRF Connect SDK and nRF Cloud

Nordic Semiconductor has added AI-assisted development to its wireless IoT microcontroller, with workflows covering the full life cycle from the first prototype to a deployed fleet. Many developers copy/paste information from LLMs trained on generic data. However, Nordic's AI solution is specifically trained on the nRF Connect SDK documentation and nRF Cloud data and integrates with a developer's favorite IDE. It also connects to Claude Code, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, or any other LLM at a much lower token cost thanks to the specialized model. The company says it's based on an implementation of the Model Context Protocol (MCP), where the Nordic MCP servers give AI assistants access to validated sources from Nordic, including SDK documentation, API references, device configurations, and the customer's field data from nRF Cloud. Highlights of Nordic's AI-assisted development Connected to nRF Connect SDK documentation and nRF Cloud data Integrates with AI assistants such as Claude Code,

CNX Software - Embedded Systems News
cnx-software.com [Unofficial]May 29

u-blox ALMA-B2 Bluetooth 6.0 and 802.15.4 module features Nordic nRF54LM20 Edge AI wireless MCU

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.cnx-software.com/2026/05/29/u-blox-alma-b2-bluetooth-6-0-and-802-15-4-module-features-nordic-nrf54lm20-edge-ai-wireless-mcu/

u-blox ALMA-B2 Bluetooth 6.0 and 802.15.4 module features Nordic nRF54LM20 Edge AI wireless MCU

u-blox has recently announced the ALMA-B2 standalone BLE 6.0 and 802.15.4 module family built around the Nordic Semi nRF54LM20 Cortex-M33 wireless microcontroller with a dedicated NPU for low-latency Edge AI applications. There are four specific product variants in the u-blox ALMA-B2 series: ALMA-B201, ALMA-B206, ALMA-B211, and ALMA-B216, all of which support Bluetooth 6.0 and Bluetooth Channel Sounding for distance measurement. They also support IEEE 802.15.4, including Thread, Zigbee, and Matter, as well as Nordic’s proprietary 2.4 GHz protocol and NFC. The company also mentions that the nRF54LM20B-based ALMA-B211 and ALMA-B216 variants include an Axon NPU that performs machine learning tasks up to 15 times faster and with greater energy efficiency than running the same tasks on the main processor alone. u-blox ALMA-B2 Series Specifications: Wireless SoC - Nordic Semiconductor nRF54LM20A (for ALMA-B201 and B206) or nRF54LM20B (for ALMA-B211 and B216) CPU Arm Cortex-M33 application processor clocked at up to 128 MHz RISC-V

CNX Software - Embedded Systems News
cnx-software.com [Unofficial]May 26

ESPHome 2026.5.0 released with new ESPHome Device Builder (beta), performance/memory optimizations

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.cnx-software.com/2026/05/26/esphome-2026-5-0-released-with-new-esphome-device-builder-beta-performance-memory-optimizations/

ESPHome 2026.5.0 released with new ESPHome Device Builder (beta), performance/memory optimizations

ESPHome 2026.5.0 has just been released with the beta version of the new ESPHome Device Builder web app that replaces the legacy in-tree dashboard with a real configuration editor, a firmware job queue, multi-select bulk actions, labels and areas, out-of-sync detection, cross-config search, distributed builds, and a proper settings UI. The firmware itself gains optimizations of the main loop, scheduler, and task watchdog to lower CPU and power usage on supported platforms, and a range of other memory/performance optimizations across the API, audio, and helper hot paths. The audio decoder pipeline has been improved and features new microMP3, microWAV, and microFLAC streaming libraries. OTA has also been enhanced with partition-table and bootloader updates, web-server OTA, and soft-brick recovery, and ESP32 MCUs are now handled by up to the ESP-IDF v6.0.1 framework natively, while Zigbee support has been expanded to ESP32 H2 and ESP32-C6, among other features. Key features of the

CNX Software - Embedded Systems News
cnx-software.com [Unofficial]May 6

ESP32-P4 security key features 2-inch touchscreen, 3,000+ password capacity (Crowdfunding)

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.cnx-software.com/2026/05/06/esp32-p4-security-key-features-2-inch-touchscreen-3000-password-capacity/

ESP32-P4 security key features 2-inch touchscreen, 3,000+ password capacity (Crowdfunding)

MiixKey is a compact, offline ESP32-P4-based hardware security key and password manager that securely stores passwords, passkeys, NFC cards, and smart card credentials in a single portable device. It features a 2-inch touchscreen and is designed for users, developers, enterprises, government staff, and cybersecurity professionals who need secure offline credential management without relying on cloud services or smartphone apps. Previously, we wrote about security keys like the YubiKey and Google Titan Security Key, which are great for FIDO2 and U2F login, but they don’t have a display or user interface, so managing passwords or switching credentials usually requires a phone or computer. MiixKey fixes this by adding a touchscreen and allowing the user to manage over 3,000 passwords fully offline. MiixKey specifications: Main SoC – Espressif Systems ESP32-P4 CPU Dual-core 32-bit RISC-V HP (High-performance) CPU @ up to 400 MHz with AI instructions extension and single-precision FPU Single-RISC-V LP (Low-power) MCU core @ up to

CNX Software - Embedded Systems News
cnx-software.com [Unofficial]Mar 17

Mini review of the ThinkNode M6 “outdoor solar power for Meshtastic”

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.cnx-software.com/2026/03/17/review-thinknode-m6-outdoor-solar-power-for-meshtastic/

Mini review of the ThinkNode M6 “outdoor solar power for Meshtastic”

Elecrow has sent us a solar-powered ThinkNode M6 Meshtastic device for review. Last year, I reviewed the ThinkNode M1 and M2 Meshtastic nodes, and I was a bit disappointed by the point-to-point range in a suburban environment, where I got about 550 meters of range after switching to LONG SLOW mode. Nine months have passed since that review, and there still doesn't seem to be any Meshtastic community in the second-largest city in Thailand, probably because typical Meshtastic terminals are more expensive than entry-level Android smartphones, have limited functionality, and the mobile app is still a mess despite a revamp. Nevertheless, when Elecrow asked me whether I wanted to test the "ThinkNode M6 outdoor solar power for Meshtastic", I thought it might be fun. The main purpose of this mini review is to check the range I get using the M6 as a router between the M1 and M2 nodes.

CNX Software - Embedded Systems News
cnx-software.com [Unofficial]Mar 9

Nordic Semi unveils nRF54LS05A and nRF54LS05B entry-level, ultra-low-power Bluetooth LE SoCs

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.cnx-software.com/2026/03/09/nordic-semi-nrf54ls05a-nrf54ls05b-entry-level-ultra-low-power-bluetooth-le-socs/

Nordic Semi unveils nRF54LS05A and nRF54LS05B entry-level, ultra-low-power Bluetooth LE SoCs

Nordic Semiconductor's nRF54LS05A and nRF54LS05B are entry-level, ultra-low-power Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) Arm Cortex-M33 microcontrollers designed to be used as the main wireless SoC in simple applications such as sensors, tags, beacons, remotes, and PC peripherals, or operate as a Bluetooth LE companion device in more advanced products. Both SoCs are clocked at 128 MHz, feature Nordic’s 4th-generation Bluetooth LE radio, analog/digital interfaces, and advanced security. They also come with 0.5 MB of Non-Volatile Memory (NVM), and the only difference is that the nRF54LS05A is equipped with 64 KB of RAM, while the nRF54LS05B offers 96 KB. Nordic Semi nRF54LS05A/B specifications: CPU Arm Cortex-M33 core @ 128 MHz Performance - 250 CoreMark/mA @ 3V, 500 CoreMark Memory nRF54LS05A - 64 KB RAM nRF54LS05B - 96 KB RAM Storage - 508 KB NVM Wireless Bluetooth LE - 1 Mbps, 2 Mbps 2.4 GHz proprietary - GFSK: 4 Mbps, 2 Mbps, 1

CNX Software - Embedded Systems News
Pascal DelrotFeb 19
When requesting a "Cleaning" in VisualStudioCode, for a nordic project, it makes the computer redoing configurations and builds for 3 minutes. Leaving hundreds of files behind. Why ??? 😮‍💨 #visualstudiocode #nordicSemi