New Bluetooth and NFC module for rapid enterprise IoT development

Alpha Micro Components has begun distributing a new secure, certified BLE v4.2 and NFC module, the Laird BL652. The module is compact, energy-efficient and powerful. This tiny footprint stand-alone module offers multiple interfaces and an easy-to-use application development environment for easy integration of secure connectivity into EioT devices without impacting power budgets or space limitations. The module already features hardware ready to add the speed and range increases promised by Bluetooth 5, pending the ratification of the BT5 specification. “The BL652 series offers the most complete solution for anyone adding Bluetooth Low Energy and NFC support to EioT devices, from development, to integration, to future support – including upcoming support for Bluetooth 5, when the BT 5 specification is published,” said Tim Bonnett, director at Alpha Micro Components. Modules in the BL652 series are based around the Nordic nRF52, a system on a chip design with a Cortex-M4F processor at its heart. This is a highly-capable Bluetooth Low Energy core that allows host-free operation, avoiding any significant drain on system processing resources. It’s perfect for low-power, maintenance-free applications, such as EIoT devices in industrial or commercial applications, medical devices, sensors, and beacons. The module is ready for any environment with an industrial temperature rating from -40C up to 85C. Developers and integrators adding the module to a project can enjoy working with Laird’s smartBASIC programming language or with Nordic’s native nRF52 SDK for total control. Laird's smartBASIC environment, that includes an actively expanding library of application scripts, provides powerful features for most applications while remaining easy-to-use, even for first-time Bluetooth Low Energy developers. To help reduce development time, applications for other modules in the BL600 series can be seamlessly ported to the module.