02-10-2020 | U-Blox | Subs & Systems
U-blox now offers the NORA-B1 Bluetooth module, the newest member of its short-range radio portfolio. Based on Nordic Semiconductor’s latest nRF5340 Bluetooth low energy chipset – the first to host a powerful Arm Cortex M33 dual-core MCU – the module is intended to satisfy the demands of performance-oriented applications in areas including industrial, medical, and smart building and smart city markets.
The module assists engineers in getting maximum value out of a single component. Taking advantage of the chipset’s dual-core MCU, the device can handle performance-oriented applications and even drive a display without needing an external host processer. With one low-power-optimised core dedicated to handling network connectivity and a second high-performance core solely running the device application, the module facilitates smooth and uninterrupted operation with the minimum of processing latency.
The Arm TrustZone provides enhanced security, allowing a trusted execution environment by completely separating secure and non-secure Flash, RAM, peripherals, and GPIOs. The module is also supplied with the state-of-the-art Arm CryptoCell-312, which delivers hardware-accelerated cryptography and, in combination with the key management unit, provides a root of trust and secure key storage.
“Nordic Semiconductor’s nRF5340 chipset brings Bluetooth-enabled connectivity to a new, more demanding class of applications, not only in terms of computing power but also in terms of security,” says Pelle Svensson, senior product marketing manager, Short Range Radio, at U-blox. “We designed the NORA-B1 to make it easy for product developers to tap into the opportunities it offers.”
“U-blox has succeeded in offering a high-quality integration of our latest nRF5340 chipset into their NORA-B1 module series, leveraging its dual-core MCU to boost performance capabilities and utilising its assets to deliver enhanced security,” said Alf Helge Omre, global business development manager at Nordic Semiconductor. “We are pleased to see U-blox bring a broad Bluetooth portfolio largely featuring the Nordic Semiconductor offering to the market.”
