Wireless technology saves lives every day, sometimes in extraordinary ways. After spotting flames rising from a residence in Scotts Valley, California, a passing jogger rang the doorbell in an effort to notify the homeowners. The owner wasn’t home, but the wireless doorbell was connected to a smart home hub that alerted her to the jogger’s attempt to make contact. In an instant she provided him with the security code, enabling him to run into the house to rescue her pets from the fire.Texan Joey Lowe was equally fortunate when he passed out on his porch on a very hot summer’s day. His wife and son were out of town but received a motion alert from their smart home doorbell app when he collapsed, and were able to contact a neighbor who called 911 to transport Joey to hospital to treat the cardiac episode.Not every instance of technology keeping us safe is so dramatic, but as the ‘Internet of Everything’ delivers ubiquitous connectivity at home, at work and at play, wireless devices are keeping a watchful eye on us as never before.<h2>Safety begins with a smart home</h2>The smart home is still viewed with caution by some observers as interoperability, cost, and ease-of-operation concerns in particular have cooled consumer interest. We are all aware of the tech—from smart lights and energy management, to devices designed purely for convenience—but how many of us actually use it? According to analysts, around 16 percent of homes currently employ some form of smart technology, but the numbers are trending upwards rapidly as the industry addresses standardization concerns.Unifying connectivity standard <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/Products/Matter" target="_blank">Matter</a> will deliver consumers greater simplicity, ensuring, for example, any Amazon Echo device can control any third party smart home security product, or any other Matter smart home device. This interoperability should act as an accelerant for smart home tech where security above convenience is also driving renewed interest from consumers. As fun as it might be to remotely and wirelessly control our lights, air conditioning or blinds, keeping our castle safe from uninvited intruders is a more pressing concern.As such the market has been flooded with simple, user-friendly, easy-to-set-up wireless security systems, fully controlled and programmed via a smartphone app. These systems enable remote, wireless locking and unlocking, and the ability to issue temporary access to tradespeople or babysitters without handing over precious keys or lock combinations. An owner can also be notified if a lock is being tampered with, even if they are on the other side of the world.And not every threat to our safety at home comes in human form. Wireless smart smoke and carbon monoxide detectors can alert smart home owners via a smartphone app in the event of an issue – whether they are at home or not. They can detect steam from smoke, can be disabled from the app in the event of a false alarm, and tell you when the batteries are running low, without the device ‘chirping’ at you in the middle of the night.<h2>Transforming workplace safety with wireless technology</h2>The pandemic may have spawned the work-from-home movement, but not all of us are fortunate enough to be able to earn a living from our living room. For those people—first responders, construction laborers, and farmers for example—who need to venture past their front door for their employment, wireless tech is also transforming workplace safety.People working alone are at particular risk of workplace accidents, where the ability to trigger warnings may not be an option if someone becomes incapacitated. Wearable, wirelessly-connected devices employing a raft of sensors that can automatically trigger an alert to an employer or first responders are increasingly commonplace, particularly in potentially hazardous work environments like mines, farms and heavy industry.For example, using explosives in mining operations to break mineral-bearing rocks can result in toxic fumes lingering for hours. In-situ or wearable environmental sensors can ensure downtime is minimized and that workers don't re-enter the blast site until it is safe. Similarly, exhaust fumes emitted from underground excavating equipment and drilling machines can be kept within limits by monitoring with gas detectors and particle sensors.On farms, checking there is enough grain to feed livestock is traditionally a manual exercise. Aside from the risks of falling, inhaling dust emissions or the aspiration of silage gas can be extremely harmful, and like mines, explosion and fire are also real threats. Wireless connectivity allows tanks in remote agricultural locations to report level sensor data so the farmer can monitor feed, fuel, water, or fertilizer levels through a Cloud platform, using their smartphone, tablet, or computer.<h2>The power of cellular IoT wireless technology</h2>The catalyst for many of these remote monitoring solutions is the capabilities of mature <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/Products/Low-power-cellular-IoT" rel="noopener" target="_blank">cellular IoT</a> technology and the increasing ease with which it can be integrated into new solutions and application areas.Mines and farms are often isolated, but cellular IoT network infrastructure is ever expanding and is increasingly available even in remote locations. The technology can either power a gateway to pass data from a group of Bluetooth LE IoT devices to the Cloud or power sensors with end-to-end IP connectivity. Base stations can support tens of thousands of cellular IoT connections, and the communications are fully bidirectional, robust, reliable, and secure. Moreover, NB-IoT can penetrate further below ground than other wireless IoT technologies.<h2>Playing it safe with wireless technology</h2>Outside of our homes and our places of work, wireless technology is also keeping us safe in other ways. In the last five years wearable devices that double as safety devices have proliferated. Today’s ultra miniaturized <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/Products/Bluetooth-Low-Energy" target="_blank">SoCs</a> and SiPs enable designers to embed wireless connectivity in imaginative form factors such as bracelets or necklaces that double as panic buttons.For these personal safety device applications, Nordic’s <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/Products/nRF9160" rel="noopener" target="_blank">nRF9160</a> low power SiP with integrated LTE-M/NB-IoT modem and GNSS can provide cellular IoT wireless connectivity between the device and the Cloud, eliminating the need for a smartphone or gateway. The nRF9160 SiP combines LTE-M cellular network location data with GNSS trilateration for precise position monitoring, while the nRF9160’s assisted and predictive GNSS also saves power by speeding up time-to-first-fix (TTFF) on the satellites.And while wireless wearables have long been synonymous with keeping fit and urging us to increase our daily activity, they are now by design trying to keep us safe in the process. For example, cycling while a hugely popular pastime around the world, is also frequently hazardous. In 2020, The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reported nearly 426,000 emergency department-treated injuries associated with bicycles.Using Bluetooth LE-powered sensors and GPS, cycling helmets can now be transformed into a live GPS tracker, crash detector and safety beacon. Cycling equipment leader, <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/Nordic-news/2019/02/ANGi-sensor-based-device-transforms-cycling-helmet-using-nRF52832" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Specialized launched one such device</a> that uses a built-in accelerometer and gyroscope to detect any potentially dangerous incident by the measurement of linear and rotational forces to the cyclist’s head that typically occur during a bicycle crash. When it detects the possibility of a serious accident, it launches a countdown alert on the partner smartphone app. If the rider is uninjured they can then manually cancel the countdown. However, if the rider is injured and unable to cancel the countdown, the app sends a text alert notifying the user’s emergency contacts of a possible accident. In addition, the rider’s location—established by the device’s most recently uploaded GPS coordinates—is immediately sent to all contacts.It is one example among many of wireless technology making everyday life simpler, safer, and healthier for billions of us.<hr>This article was first published on Nordic's&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.nordicsemi.com/getconnected" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" id="isPasted"></a><a href="https://blog.nordicsemi.com/getconnected?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Get Connected Blog</a>. &nbsp;

Wireless technology saves lives every day, sometimes in extraordinary ways. After spotting flames rising from a residence in Scotts Valley, California, a passing jogger rang the doorbell in an effort to notify the homeowners. The owner wasn’t home, but the wireless doorbell was connected to a smart home hub that alerted her to the jogger’s attempt to make contact.

Wireless technology keeps us safe at home, work and play

Without the coders, engineers, entrepreneurs, and innovators of tomorrow emerging from the classrooms—and soon—it will become increasingly difficult to advance society and tackle diverse global challenges. As things stand now, a global technology talent shortage threatens to stifle progress across all tech sectors.Fortunately, it’s not all doom and gloom in the classroom. There’s a long way to go, but industry leaders are working hard to close the digital skills gap.<h2>Filling the gaps</h2>In 2021 there were more than two million U.K. job vacancies in tech, more than any other labor area. Yet a large section of the British workforce is apparently nowhere near skilled enough to apply for many of these tech-based positions. According to FutureDotNow—a coalition of industry leaders focused on closing the digital skills gap for working age adults—some 11.8 million U.K. workers lack even basic digital skills.In its 2022 Digital Strategy, the U.K. government asserted that while over 80 percent of all jobs advertised in the U.K. now require digital skills, employers say the lack of available talent is the biggest factor holding back growth. Estimates suggest the digital skills gap costs the U.K. economy as much as £63 billion ($79 billion) a year in potential GDP.This gap not only plays an important role in the U.K.’s economic prospects but also in an individual’s life chances. The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport report in 2019 found: “The move up the career ladder from low- to high-skill jobs comes with increased demand for specific digital skills. Acquiring specific digital skills makes career progression and a pay increase more likely.”<h2>Responding to the challenge with micro:bits</h2>In March 2015, in response to the significant skills shortage across the U.K. at the time, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) launched Make It Digital, a nationwide initiative focused on creating the next generation of digital pioneers. One year later, the project spawned the delivery of one million Nordic-powered BBC micro:bits—tiny yet powerful programmable pocket computers—to Year 7 school students throughout the country’s schools. It was hoped the device could transform young people from passive consumers of technology into digital innovators via the power of ‘coding’.Within six months the not-for-profit <a href="https://microbit.org/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Micro:bit Educational Foundation</a> was established to promote the micro:bit project internationally. To this day the foundation works in collaboration with educators to create curriculum materials, training and resources that empower a young person’s creativity and boost their opportunities in an equal and purposeful way.<h2>Overcoming inequality</h2>The foundation has good reason to focus its efforts on overcoming inequality in education. Research indicates that factors such as socio-economic background can have a significant impact when it comes to children learning about coding. A 2022 report by Ofsted (the U.K. Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills) revealed that state schools with higher proportions of disadvantaged pupils were&nbsp;less likely to offer a GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education) in computer science.The gap between genders is also pronounced. Analysis of examination data from 2021 shows there are&nbsp;disproportionately few girls in computer science, making up just 21 percent of entries at GCSE and 15 percent at the GCE (General Certificate of Education) Advanced (A)-Level (a U.K. subject-based qualification for students aged 16 and above). Last year, computing A-Level continued to have the highest gender gulf of entrants, while the U.K. tech industry comprises only 26 percent women.<h2>Full STEAM ahead with micro:bits</h2>Seven-and-a-half years on from the launch of the, adoption is tracking impressively. Over 7 million micro:bit units have been sold worldwide. The device continues to be actively embedded in children's learning at schools and other education systems. Around 39 million young people in over 60 countries—including Denmark, Finland, Uruguay, Singapore, Canada and Bangladesh—have so far used the micro:bit to get hands-on with computer science and technology, learning important digital skills in the process.And STEAM [science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics] education programs are making a meaningful difference. In Bangladesh, for example, where less than half of the country’s 47 million children will attend school beyond the age of 15, the British Council has provided free workshops to increase public access to digital skills training and to teach children to create technology, not just consume it. The first phase of the program reached 2,000 young people in 12 districts.Most participants (88 percent) were aged 12-16, with a fairly balanced gender split of 51.5 percent male and 48.5 percent female. The majority had never coded before, and 13 percent said the workshop was their first time using a computer. But 95 percent of participants said they would be interested in learning more coding in the future. And 70 percent more girls said they would choose computing as a subject at school after using the micro:bit.<h2>Powering the micro:bit journey</h2>Nordic Semiconductor has played a vital role from day one of the micro:bit journey. The company donated the first one million nRF51822 chips to kickstart the micro:bit, and later supported a smooth transition from the micro:bit V1 to the micro:bit V2 device integrating the Nordic <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/products/nrf52833" target="_blank">nRF52833</a> SoC as its core processor. The nRF52820 has also since been added to the board as the micro:bit’s interface chip.In addition to processing capabilities, the micro:bit’s Nordic-enabled wireless connectivity is used in two distinct ways. First, using the device firmware update (DFU) tools in the Nordic software development kit (SDK), the micro:bit has the capability to be updated from a phone or tablet over Bluetooth LE. This means schools or students without access to laptops can still easily use the micro:bit. And second, it provides a student-facing feature, which can be used with either a set of Bluetooth services or with the micro:bit radio feature.<h2>The Micro:bit Educational Foundation: Shaping the future</h2>The micro:bit’s achievements to this point are just the beginning. The Micro:bit Educational Foundation has now joined forces with BBC Education and Nominet (the U.K.’s official domain name registry) to launch “BBC micro:bit – the next gen”, a nationwide initiative to ready U.K. primary school children aged 8 to 11 for the digital world, once again empowering them with the skills to shape their future. The campaign will offer&nbsp;30 micro:bit devices&nbsp;to every primary school in the country – a giveaway of almost 700,000 micro:bits.Whether programming it for useful functions such as a sunlight sensor or a step counter, or using it for an exciting treasure hunt challenge, the Nordic nRF52833 SoC-powered micro:bit will continue to teach practical computer knowledge in an accessible and authentic way. As the micro:bit evolves, the foundation hopes the device will inspire all children to create their best digital future.<hr>This article was first published on Nordic's&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.nordicsemi.com/getconnected" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" id="isPasted"></a><a href="https://blog.nordicsemi.com/getconnected?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Get Connected Blog</a>. &nbsp;

Without the coders, engineers, entrepreneurs, and innovators of tomorrow emerging from the classrooms—and soon—it will become increasingly difficult to advance society and tackle diverse global challenges. As things stand now, a global technology talent shortage threatens to stifle progress across all tech sectors.

Empowering next gen digital innovators with micro:bits

Smart lighting is a key component of smart commercial buildings and the connected home. Based on LEDs—which use at least 75 percent less energy, and last up to 25 times longer than traditional incandescent lighting, according to the U.S. Department of Energy (DoE)—combined with Bluetooth LE SoCs like Nordic’s nRF52, nRF53, and the forthcoming <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/Products/nRF54H20" rel="noopener" target="_blank">nRF54 Series</a>, smart lighting brings illumination into the modern age.Not only can intelligent lighting minimize energy usage, by, for example, dimming when ambient light conditions brighten or switching off when people are not present, but it can also form a platform for other sensors such as proximity monitors and air quality sensors.The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) was quick to promote Bluetooth LE as a good connectivity option for smart lighting by highlighting the economies of scale that only the most widely deployed wireless radio standard in the world can provide. A further advantage is that Bluetooth LE is interoperability with almost every smartphone on the market, enabling the mobile to become a convenient interface for commissioning and controlling smart lighting.But some tricky engineering challenges have threatened to stall smart lighting adoption. The good news is that first Bluetooth Mesh, and now the Bluetooth SIG’s recently announced Bluetooth NLC (Network Lighting Control) are providing solutions. &nbsp;<h2>Adding mesh networking to Bluetooth</h2>Bluetooth LE started life as a low power-consumption extension to Classic Bluetooth. In the early days it was designed for consumer type applications - for example wireless keyboards and mice or connecting peripherals such as fitness wearables to smartphones. Such applications require relatively simple peer-to-peer or star network topologies. In contrast, applications such as smart lighting—which features dense installations of wireless nodes—are best served by mesh networking.In a mesh network, every node can talk to every other node rather than being restricted to communicating with just a central master node. That brings advantages such as built-in redundancy: if a node fails, messages can simply be rerouted through alternative paths.To make Bluetooth LE more suitable for smart lighting, the Bluetooth SIG introduced Bluetooth Mesh. Making its debut in 2017, the tech offers features and options to create large-scale device networks. Without Bluetooth Mesh, individual lights are controlled from a central hub, restricting the position of each because it needs to remain in range of that hub. But with Bluetooth Mesh, a command rapidly propagates through the network with no position restriction on the lights - provided individual nodes are close enough together to communicate. It is also very easy to add or remove lights to or from the network.<h2>Bringing greater interoperability to smart lighting</h2>Bluetooth Mesh helped resolve some smart lighting engineering challenges but not all. The optional nature of Bluetooth Mesh’s features meant vendors had to choose a subset for their product segments. Challenges arose if vendors operating in the same product segments choose a set of options that didn’t work well with products from another vendor. For example, that made it frustrating for a consumer when features chosen for LED drivers from one maker were not compatible with features selected for light switches from another. Such problems undermined interoperability and consumer adoption.Ensuring complete interoperability requires standardization across radio-, communication-, and device-layer of a wireless lighting control solution. Interoperability was ensured at the radio layer by using the Bluetooth LE protocol, and the communication layer through Bluetooth Mesh. But until now there was no solution for the device layer.&nbsp;To address this challenge, the Bluetooth SIG has developed a class of specifications called Bluetooth Mesh Device Profiles. These profiles define which options and features of the Bluetooth Mesh specification are mandatory for a certain kind of end-product – thus ensuring interoperability between different manufacturers’ versions of that type of device.The first suite of mesh device profiles is collectively referred to as NLC profiles. According to the Bluetooth SIG, these profiles build on Bluetooth Mesh to form Bluetooth NLC, “the world’s first full-stack, multi-vendor interoperable wireless standard for wireless lighting control”.<h2>Taking advantage of Bluetooth NLC with nRF Connect SDK</h2>Nordic is the leading Bluetooth LE company in the world and is an enthusiastic supporter of Bluetooth Mesh and now Bluetooth NLC. That’s why we’ve immediately made it easier for developers to get started with the technology by including NLC profiles in the nRF Connect SDK.The <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/Products/Bluetooth-mesh/Development-software?lang=en#infotabs" rel="noopener" target="_blank">NLC profiles</a> in the software development kit can be used to implement interoperable network controlled lighting setups, including ambient light and occupancy sensors, light controller, energy monitoring, scene selectors, and dimmer controls. Each of the profiles specifies a set of models and a set of performance parameters. The nRF Connect SDK provides a demonstration of how to implement each of these profiles as part of the Bluetooth samples contained in the kit.<h2>A bright future for wireless smart lighting</h2>The shift from wired to wireless lighting control solutions is being driven by three main advantages: greater design flexibility, lower cost of deployment, and future extensibility.Wireless systems allow for optimal placement of switches, lights, and other equipment, including places where it would be impractical for wired systems. Without the need for control wires, wireless lighting controls offer lower deployment costs. Decreased labor and material expense, minimum disruption during installation, and reduced maintenance costs also bring substantial savings. Finally, once deployed, wireless systems are easier to extend and it is simple to add advanced controls.These advantages mean that wireless lighting is set to boom. The U.S. DoE, for example, forecasts that 28 percent of commercial lighting deployments will be wirelessly connected by 2035. With the interoperability Bluetooth NLC now brings to the device layer of wireless control systems, Bluetooth smart lighting will play a major role. The Bluetooth SIG says that Bluetooth NLC device shipments will grow at a CAGR of 115 percent between now and 2027. The future for smart lighting is very bright.<hr>This article was first published on Nordic's&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.nordicsemi.com/getconnected" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" id="isPasted"></a><a href="https://blog.nordicsemi.com/getconnected?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Get Connected Blog</a>. &nbsp;

Smart lighting is a key component of smart commercial buildings and the connected home. Based on LEDs—which use at least 75 percent less energy, and last up to 25 times longer than traditional incandescent lighting, according to the U.S. Department of Energy (DoE)—combined with Bluetooth LE SoCs like Nordic’s nRF52, nRF53, and the forthcoming nRF54 Series, smart lighting brings illumination into the modern age.

Smart lighting control brightens the future of Bluetooth illumination

The world is working harder than ever before; U.S. workers, for example, toil for an annual average of 1,791 hours – that’s 34 hours every single week of the year. South of the border, Mexicans work even harder; a backbreaking 2,128 hours, or 41 hours across 52 weeks. (The numbers come from worldpopulationreview.com.) While attempts to introduce more working from home and even a four-day week are gathering steam, these figures suggest leisure time is still at a premium.That makes it important we spend it wisely, suggests the American Psychological Association. The association says there’s mounting evidence suggesting that taking breaks to relax and engage in hobbies outside of work is a vital component of maintaining happiness. And workers who take breaks also report higher job satisfaction and lower rates of burnout.Moreover, the Harvard Business Review found that dedicating time to hobbies can enhance an individual’s professional performance by fostering creative thinking and bolstering confidence. And consistently participating in leisure activities that incorporate exercise, like playing on a sports team or going to the gym, has the additional benefit of improving physical health. Now wireless tech is finding its place in helping us make the most of our non-work hours.<h2>Wireless fun at home</h2>Inside the home, <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/Applications/VR-and-AR?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR)</a> are moving in on traditional electronic gaming territory. Headsets and sound systems help players feel as if they are actually inside their favorite game. Wireless tech helps make the experience even more immersive by connecting headset and handset(s) for low-latency game control. <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/News/2023/08/Hisenses-XR-V3-employs-nRF52832-SoC?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Hisense’s XR-V3</a>, which employs Nordic’s nRF52832 SoC to provide stable and reliable Bluetooth LE connectivity between the handheld controllers and headset, is a good example of this in action.And it’s not just the cutting edge of gaming that’s benefiting from wireless tech. Traditional <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwiOnLeIop-BAxVF_mEKHYLZB4EQFnoECBgQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nordicsemi.com%2FNews%2F2022%2F08%2FXploreds-Teburu-employs-nRF52833-and-nRF52805-SoCs&usg=AOvVaw3QiFjIR2IqIFIr-zawIUhd&opi=89978449" rel="noopener" target="_blank">board games</a> use Bluetooth LE for connectivity through smartphone apps, which add interactive elements to the game. This can help create alternative rules, instructions or outcomes based on how users and pieces interact with a board, changing the gaming experience with each playthrough.<h2>On the go with wireless technology</h2>When we’re out walking or jogging, wireless headphones have enhanced the experience by making it easy to listen to content without getting tangled in cables.And things are about to get better with the introduction of <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/Products/Bluetooth-LE-Audio?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Bluetooth LE Audio</a>. Described by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group as “the next generation of wireless audio”, LE Audio brings better audio quality, more robust connectivity and vastly improved battery life compared with Classic Audio. Such technical enhancements mean we can listen through earbuds with incredible sound quality and extended battery life; or use earbuds with a smaller form factor while still matching the previous generation’s playtime.<h2>Upping the pace with wireless tech</h2>Getting the heart beating a little faster is a path to mental and physical health improvements and wireless tech has transformed the experience. Advanced <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/News/2023/06/Casio-launches-new-Nordic-powered-watch-with-multiple-sports-support?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">smart watches</a> not only allow us to track exercise metrics, analyze workout data, and provide personalized fitness recommendations but can also keep track of the exercise’s impact on health indicators such as hear rate variability, sleep quality, blood oxygen levels, and stress.Early devices employed Bluetooth LE to connect to a smartphone app. The smartphone also formed a gateway to send the runner’s data to the Cloud. But a new generation of <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/News/2020/09/ProMOS-Technologies-employs-nRF9160?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">products</a> now employ <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/Products/Low-power-cellular-IoT?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">cellular connectivity</a> such that user data can be sent directly to the Cloud, without requiring a smartphone as a gateway. Cloud connectivity provided by cellular IoT devices such as Nordic’s nRF9160 SiP, which also incorporates GNSS, is particularly useful in situation where users fall or get lost because then the wearable can send the user’s location to emergency responders.E-bikes are encouraging millions of new riders to jump on to two wheels. The electric technology is frequently complemented by wireless. For example, the <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/News/2023/06/The-Xion-E-Bike-HMI-System-employs-nRF52840-SoC?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Xion E-Bike HMI System</a> attaches to the handlebars of any e-bike. The product not only acts as a traditional display system for the bicycle so that the rider can view their riding metrics and the bike’s overall battery level, but it also allows users to select their desired assistance level. Moreover, because the Xion E-Bike HMI System is directly connected to the e-bike's battery, there’s no need to recharge it separately.The product employs Nordic nRF52840 SoC to send data, such as the rider’s speed and distance, to a paired smartphone. The Xion unit is also managed by the nRF52840’s Arm Cortex-M4 processor which provides the necessary computing power for all the device’s functionality.<h2>Getting wet with wireless tech</h2>Wireless tech is not just limited to enhancing running or walking; other sports ranging from skiing, soccer, golf, and tennis are benefiting too. And it’s not necessary to stay dry either, wireless tech also plays a role in the water. For example, Sweden-based technology company, Radinn has released a <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/News/2023/07/Radinn-jetboards-employ-the-nRF52840-SoC-to-provide-wireless-connectivity?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">range of electric jetboards</a> (motorized surfboards) for leisure watersports. Users can skim along at 60 km/hr and enjoy the ride for up to 45 minutes between charges.The fun is controlled by a wireless remote equipped with Nordic’s <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/products/nrf52840" rel="noopener" target="_blank">nRF52840</a> SoC. The board itself also hosts a Nordic-powered wireless module, which oversees the accelerometer and gyroscope sensors to provide rider data, such as speed and performance metrics, as well as impact detection. The module can also send the ride data to the Radinn app on the user’s smartphone for analysis and presentation.Time spent on hobbies and other relaxing activities can be incredibly rejuvenating and replenishing. And wireless tech is doing its bit to not only keep things interesting but also attract a whole new audience to traditional and not-so-traditional leisure activities.<hr>This article was first published on Nordic's&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.nordicsemi.com/getconnected" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" id="isPasted"></a><a href="https://blog.nordicsemi.com/getconnected?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Get Connected Blog</a>. &nbsp;

Inside the home, Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) are moving in on traditional electronic gaming territory. Headsets and sound systems help players feel as if they are actually inside their favorite game. Wireless tech helps make the experience even more immersive by connecting headset and handset(s) for low-latency game control.

Wireless tech helps us make the most of valuable leisure time

The new iteration features groundbreaking silicon at its heart. The <a href="https://www.mouser.com/new/raspberry-pi/raspberry-pi-5-sbc/" target="_blank">Raspberry Pi 5</a> is a game-changer with a few new tricks up its sleeve.The Raspberry Pi Foundation has navigated countless challenges over the years, from production woes to supply chain disruptions. But their unwavering commitment to delivering computing innovation to all has brought us to this pivotal moment.<h2 dir="ltr">Introducing the Raspberry Pi 5: A Marvel of Custom Silicon</h2>The Raspberry Pi 5 is based on the Broadcom BCM2712, which houses a quad-core 2.4GHz 64-bit Arm® Cortex®-A76 processor. However, the standout component here is the RP1, a proprietary I/O controller crafted entirely in-house by the Raspberry Pi team. This custom chip assumes a pivotal role in furnishing USB 3.0, Ethernet, GPIO, MIPI display, and MIPI camera ports. The inclusion of the RP1 custom I/O chip not only adds stability to the Pi 5's manufacturing process but also optimizes power consumption by integrating only the most critical circuits into the chip.&nbsp;But the excitement doesn't stop there. Beyond custom silicon, the Raspberry Pi 5 introduces a four-lane PCIe 2.0 interface, streamlining high-speed peripheral connections. It also boasts Bluetooth® 5.0 with Bluetooth Low Energy, dual-band Wi-Fi®, and Gigabit Ethernet, granting users the flexibility to choose between wired and wireless connectivity. Moreover, the Pi 5 extends support for Power over Ethernet (PoE), enabling users to power the board via Ethernet, alongside a USB Type-C port for alternative power sources.&nbsp;While the board seamlessly integrates a real-time clock (RTC), the absence of an onboard battery necessitates using a networked time server to maintain time accuracy during power disruptions. Fortunately, users can power the RTC externally through a supercapacitor or small battery, ensuring precise timekeeping even in power outage scenarios.&nbsp;Power management receives an upgrade with the Renesas DA9091 power management IC, capable of supplying up to 20A to the BCM2712 for high-performance processing. The PMIC and Raspberry Pi 27W power supply should reduce or eliminate power warnings in most scenarios.<h2 dir="ltr">Raspberry Pi 5 Specifications</h2><ul><li dir="ltr">Broadcom BCM2712 2.4GHz quad-core 64-bit Arm Cortex-A76 CPU featuring cryptography extensions, 512KB per-core L2 caches, and a 2MB shared L3 cache.</li><li dir="ltr">VideoCore VII GPU, supporting OpenGL ES 3.1, Vulkan 1.2</li><li dir="ltr">Dual 4Kp60 HDMI display output with HDR support</li><li dir="ltr">4Kp60 HEVC decoder</li><li dir="ltr">LPDDR4X-4267 SDRAM (4GB and 8GB available at launch)</li><li dir="ltr">Dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi</li><li dir="ltr">Bluetooth 5.0/Bluetooth Low Energy</li><li dir="ltr">microSD card slot, with support for high-speed SDR104 mode</li><li dir="ltr">2 × USB 3.0 ports, supporting simultaneous 5Gbps operation</li><li dir="ltr">2 × USB 2.0 ports</li><li dir="ltr">Gigabit Ethernet, with PoE+ support (requires separate PoE+ HAT)</li><li dir="ltr">2 × 4-lane MIPI camera/display transceivers</li><li dir="ltr">PCIe 2.0 x1 interface for fast peripherals (requires separate M.2 HAT or other adapter)</li><li dir="ltr">5V/5A DC power via USB Type-C, with Power Delivery support</li><li dir="ltr">Raspberry Pi standard 40-pin header</li><li dir="ltr">Real-time clock, powered from external battery</li><li dir="ltr">Power button</li></ul><h2 dir="ltr">Conclusion</h2>The introduction of the Raspberry Pi 5 heralds yet another innovation from the Raspberry Pi Foundation. The inclusion of the RP1 custom I/O chip not only adds stability to the Pi 5's manufacturing process but also optimizes power consumption by integrating only the most critical circuits into the chip.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mouser.com/new/raspberry-pi/raspberry-pi-5-sbc/" target="_blank">You can pre-order the Raspberry Pi 5, from Mouser here.&nbsp;</a>Note: This article was written by Mouser staff using OpenAI ChatGPT v4.

The Raspberry Pi Foundation just released their latest innovation, the Raspberry Pi 5.

Meet the new Raspberry Pi 5

The new Arduino UNO R4 Wi-Fi board provides built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth communication as well as a 12×8 LED matrix display to give makers, hobbyists, and engineers an extremely versatile prototyping tool.


Getting to Know the Arduino UNO R4 Wi-Fi

In April 1981, The Washington Post&nbsp;reported that the U.S. supermarket chain, Giant Food Inc., was about to stop marking prices on individual items in its stores in a bid to reduce operating costs. If there was no consumer backlash, the report predicted, the rest of the industry would follow, as it did when the company was the first food retailer to introduce barcode scanners at its checkouts, spurring the spread of that technology across the country.Fast forward 40 years and individually priced items in supermarkets have long been consigned to history, with shelf pricing now the accepted norm. And it has, as Giant Food hoped, reduced operating costs for retailers that can stock as many as 50,000 different product lines. As recently as the 1990s, 7,000 product lines was considered average. Now technology is overhauling shelf labeling anew, and supermarkets will be the likely trailblazers once again.<h2>The beginning of the end for paper labels</h2>Electronic shelf labels (ESL) are connected, low-power &lsquo;e-paper&rsquo; display devices that can replace traditional paper labels and can display text, numbers, icons, lines, barcodes and pictures. They enable retailers to automatically update individual shelf price labels from a central point across multiple stores and branches&mdash;or in certain geographic locations&mdash;at the touch of a button. Comprised of a Cloud platform, access points or gateways, and wirelessly connected shelf labels, pricing commands can be sent from a web-based dashboard to store-located gateways, from which point commands are relayed to the smart labels.According to analyst ABI Research, by the end of last year, 788 million electronic shelf labels (ESL) had been installed globally. The number may seem significant, but with tens of billions of paper labels still on shelves, the technology has yet to make it mainstream, despite not really counting as a &lsquo;new&rsquo; technology. Primitive versions using liquid crystal displays that could display a price but nothing else have been around for some 30 years. There are a number of reasons the technology has yet to hit the big time, including market fragmentation, cost of deployment, concerns over interoperability, security, and a fear of obsolescence. Now this could be about to change.Earlier this year, the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG), announced the release of the <a href="https://www.bluetooth.com/learn-about-bluetooth/use-cases/electronic-shelf-labels/?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">new wireless standard for the ESL market</a>, with the goal of making Bluetooth the standard protocol for ESL.&nbsp;The scalable, low-power, secure ESL standard (consisting of ESL Profile and Service specifications) has been developed by a working group comprised of a leading ESL vendor and enabling technology suppliers, and standardizes the process for message transmission between access points and ESLs. To do so it leverages feature enhancements introduced in the Bluetooth Core Specification Version 5.4, including Periodic Advertising with Responses (PAwR) and Encrypted Advertising Data (EAD).In general, PAwR and EAD are intended for one-to-many applications that involve a large number of devices (tags) receiving and transmitting small amounts of data from and to an access point, that accept longer latencies (e.g. 2 seconds) in exchange for extended battery life. Together, they enable connectionless, bidirectional, secure communication with thousands of very low-power end nodes in a star topology, essential in a retail ESL application where many thousands of labels could be required to cover all of the items stocked. For a technical deep dive on ESL, PAwR and EAD see <a href="https://devzone.nordicsemi.com/nordic/nordic-blog/b/blog/posts/whats-new-in-bluetooth-v5-4-an-overview?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">What&#39;s new in Bluetooth v5.4: An overview</a>.<h2>Dynamic, efficient pricing operations</h2>If the introduction of the standard has the intended effect on the retail industry and ESL becomes widespread, retailers are set to benefit in several ways. Updating paper price labels requires staff to change thousands of tags every week. It&rsquo;s not only a lot of labor to do very little, it also takes time and is prone to error, and inaccurate pricing on shelves even for a short time can cost grocery retailers profit. ESL eliminates the manual process and at the same time enables dynamic pricing strategies allowing retailers to adjust pricing based on stock levels, demand, and market conditions.Standardization is key here to ensure interoperability, security and to allow retailers to have systems that can be installed and easily maintained over a long lifespan. At the same time, Bluetooth can also be leveraged to keep tags updated with the latest firmware, using Over-The-Air Device Firmware Updates from the gateway itself.Moreover, by using Bluetooth as the protocol, some ESL systems can mix and match with other Bluetooth technologies, such as Bluetooth Direction Finding for a quick positioning, enabling staff to quickly and easily identify the specific location of individual product lines across the store. This is particularly beneficial to staff responsible for picking and replenishing stock. Paired with Wi-Fi-connected shelf cameras and Cloud-based AI models, savvy retailers are also remotely monitoring stock to ensure shelves are well stocked and only replenished when necessary.The smart labels can also be used as beacons for marketing to consumers in close proximity via compatible smartphone apps, at the same time allowing retailers to gather insights into customer behavior to provide improved shopping experiences, personalized marketing, and to increase conversion rates in store.<h2>Widescale adoption looms</h2>Nordic Semiconductor, as the market leader in Bluetooth LE, has already introduced the PAwR and EAD features as standard in its qualified Bluetooth 5.4 SoftDevice Controller in the <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/Products/Development-software/nRF-Connect-SDK?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">nRF Connect SDK</a>, and companies developing ESLs can start working with this technology today thanks to the pre-release reference example (both gateway and tags) now available on request by opening a <a href="https://devzone.nordicsemi.com/support/add?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">private ticket on DevZone</a> or by <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/About-us/Contact-Us?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">contacting Nordic sales</a>.Nordic&rsquo;s SoCs meet the ultra low power requirements of ESLs where the number of tags involved prohibits even infrequent battery changes, while the Flash and RAM allocation ensures they can store the volume of information required to implement a fully-featured ESL system. Both the nRF53 Series and several of the nRF52 Series SoCs also support Direction Finding, enabling optimized order picking and replenishment functionality.The announcement of the standard has provided retailers with the impetus to commit to this technology. ABI Research claims 185 million ESL units were shipped last year, and that by 2028 annual shipments will reach 558 million, with a total installed base of some three billion ESLs. For example, Fortune 500 leading light and U.S. retail behemoth Walmart has entered an agreement to roll out 60 million digital shelf labels across 500 locations over the next 12 to 18 months. Others will follow.<hr>This article was first published on Nordic&#39;s <a href="https://blog.nordicsemi.com/getconnected" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" id="isPasted"></a><a href="https://blog.nordicsemi.com/getconnected?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Get Connected Blog</a>. &nbsp;

Electronic shelf labels (ESL) are connected, low-power ‘e-paper’ display devices that can replace traditional paper labels and can display text, numbers, icons, lines, barcodes and pictures. They enable retailers to automatically update individual shelf price labels from a central point across multiple stores and branches—or in certain geographic locations—at the touch of a button.

Bluetooth Electronic Shelf Label standard heralds new retail dawn

Knowing the distance between two short-range transceivers is useful for many applications. Examples include proximity measurement for making sure people maintain a set distance apart for safety reasons, indoor navigation, and tracking items in a warehouse.There are several techniques for measuring distance from straightforward received signal strength indicator (RSSI) and time-of-flight (ToF), through more complex phase-based measurements to advanced techniques such as Inverse Fast Fourier Transform (IFFT) and estimation of multipath channel impulse response from frequency spectrum measurements. Each trades off some combination of accuracy, resolution, calculation time, processing resource, and energy.It&#39;s possible to try out each of these techniques to find out which is best for your applications using the Nordic Distance Toolbox (NDT). NDT is a proprietary technology that&rsquo;s an easy-to-use development tool for measuring the distance between two Nordic short-range radios. It is included in Nordic&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/Products/Development-software/nRF-Connect-SDK?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">nRF Connect SDK</a>, the company&rsquo;s scalable and unified software development kit. Let&rsquo;s take a closer look at these various distance measuring techniques.<h2>Using signal intensity to estimate distance</h2>While not able to focus a signal nor determine the direction from which it has come, a short-range radio such as a Bluetooth LE transceiver with a single antenna can measure signal strength, the frequency of the incoming signal, its phase, and its time of arrival. This information is useful for estimating the distance to the transmitter.When transmitting, the short-range radio broadcasts a 2.402 to 2.480 GHz signal that forms a sphere expanding at the speed of light. As the sphere propagates, the intensity (power per unit area) of the signal in a vacuum and without obstructions drops off according to the formula 1/r2 (where &ldquo;r&rdquo; is the radius of the sphere). With knowledge of the original transmission power and incoming signal strength, the receiver can therefore work out approximately how far it is from the transmitter.But a vacuum without obstructions is not the usual operating environment for a short-range radio. In typical use, for example, in a house or an office, the intensity drop will be greater. To compensate and improve distance measurement accuracy, engineers instead use the formula 1/rn where &ldquo;n&rdquo; is the &ldquo;path loss factor&rdquo;. For example, in a home with walls made of wood, n is around 4.5.RSSI is a cheap and inexpensive way to estimate the distance between two transceivers. The downside is that the path loss factor introduces errors even if it has been carefully assessed for an anticipated operating scenario. Nordic conducted some tests in an office environment that compared the distance between two short-range radios measured very precisely using LIDAR with those obtained from RSSI measurements. RSSI proved precise up to a few meters, but beyond that distance estimates became increasingly inaccurate. When people were moving through the measurement area, RSSI precision deteriorated markedly, and the useable range dropped to half a meter.<h2>Time-of-Flight and phase measurements</h2>A second technique that brings greater precision to distance measurement is ToF. The technique measures the time it takes for a signal to travel from the transmitter to the receiver and back, and then calculates the distance based on the speed of light. (ToF (seconds)/2 x c (meters per second) = distance to object (meters).) There is a small correction, because the receiving radio will require a short but finite time to switch from receive to transmit and &ldquo;reflect&rdquo; the signal back. However, such a correction is easily included in the distance calculation.A third technique that also offers greater accuracy than RSSI is phase measurement. It&rsquo;s a technique that has been used for many years in radar installations. The math is complex, but in essence the measurement relies on different radio frequencies having different wavelengths. A 2.4 GHz signal, for example, has a wavelength of 12.5 cm, whereas a 2.48 GHz signal has a slightly shorter wavelength of 12.1 cm.Over two meters, for example, a 2.4 GHz signal will oscillate exactly (2/0.125) 16 times so its phase at the receiver will be the same as when it left the transmitter. However, a 2.48 GHz signal will oscillate (2/0.121) 16.53 times. That extra 0.53 of a cycle will mean that the received signal is (2&pi; x 0.53) 1.06&pi; out of phase compared with the transmitted signal.For a given distance, phase measurements across a range of frequencies results in a linear phase variation with a measurable gradient. Changing the distance alters the gradient of the phase variation with a steeper gradient representing a greater range. With knowledge of the gradient change for a set of reference distances, in a practical situation, it is relatively simple to correlate a measured gradient to the actual distance between the two transmitters. &nbsp; &nbsp;Nordic&rsquo;s tests using the LIDAR comparison showed that both ToF and phase measurement offer reasonable accuracy and are not affected by the signal attenuation that plagues RSSI measurements. For shorter distances (up to ten meters), phase measurement offers greater precision. Over long distances (up to several hundred meters), phase measurement tends to become less precise and ToF is a better way to measure the distance between the radios. Note that both the ToF and phase change techniques require a two-way connection between transmitter and receiver, unlike RSSI.<h2>Greater precision but increased complexity</h2>If the precision offered by ToF or phase measurement is still not adequate for an application, there are two more methods supported by Nordic Distance Toolbox that offer even greater accuracy. One uses Inverse Fast Fourier Transform (IFFT) techniques and the other uses an estimation of multipath channel impulse response from frequency spectrum measurements.These techniques are complex, and both rely on sophisticated analysis of the transmitted and received signals. However, the result is a precise and repeatable measurement of the distance between the short range radios. The trade-off with both techniques is that they demand a high level of computing resources and long processing time that consumes energy and hence impacts battery life.Nordic&#39;s tests revealed that IFFT produces a good correlation to the actual distance measured by LIDAR and is more accurate than RSSI, ToF and phase measurement, although some outlier filtering is likely to be required to get the best results. The estimation of multipath channel impulse response measurement is even better than IFFT, producing high precision results; but it also requires outlier filtering and features longer processing times than the other techniques. However, if the highest precision distance measurement is needed for the application, then the energy trade-off could be worth it.<h2>Nordic Distance Toolbox does all the work</h2>The Nordic Distance Toolbox included with Nordic&rsquo;s nRF Connect SDK is useful for testing various distance measurement techniques with Nordic short-range radio SoCs and includes a quality indicator to provide a degree of confidence in how accurate the measurement data is likely to be. Distance is computed based on all intensity, frequency, and phase information available to the transceiver and all calculations are completed inside the toolbox.Nordic Distance Toolbox currently offers experimental support for <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/Products/nRF52833?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">nRF52833</a>, <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/Products/nRF52840?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">nRF52840</a>, and <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/Products/nRF5340?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">nRF5340</a> and includes measurement support for: RSSI; ToF; phase slope estimation; IFFT; and estimation of multipath channel impulse response from frequency spectrum measurements.<hr id="isPasted">This article was first published on Nordic&#39;s <a href="https://blog.nordicsemi.com/getconnected" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"></a><a href="https://blog.nordicsemi.com/getconnected?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Get Connected Blog</a>. &nbsp;

Knowing the distance between two short-range transceivers is useful for many applications. Examples include proximity measurement for making sure people maintain a set distance apart for safety reasons, indoor navigation, and tracking items in a warehouse.

Using the Nordic Distance Toolbox to measure the distance between short-range radios

Low-power Bluetooth sensing systems enable scientists to better monitor and protect bee populations in urban and rural areas.


Keeping an Eye on the Bees: What Smart Monitoring Systems Can Bring to Bee Sustainability

Women represent half of the global population. Yet inexplicably, there has long been a concerning lack of focus&mdash;and for that matter, funding, and innovation&mdash;aimed at the biological needs of women of reproductive and post-reproductive age.Fortunately, a positive shift is taking place towards more advanced and specific digital healthcare for women. The so-called &lsquo;femtech&rsquo; (female technology) industry has belatedly begun to deliver on the promise of solutions using wireless connectivity to help address women&rsquo;s health issues.<h2>A global healthcare challenge</h2>All over the world, billions of women face a plethora of health-related challenges &ndash; from reproductive health, pregnancy, and maternal care to exclusively female chronic diseases like cervical and breast cancer, polycystic ovarian syndrome, and endometriosis (growth of endometrial tissue outside of the uterus) &ndash; a disease associated with severe, debilitating pelvic pain and infertility among other symptoms. According to the World Health Organization, endometriosis affects roughly ten percent (190 million) of reproductive-age women and girls globally.Other chronic diseases, such as osteoporosis, arthritis, and hypertension, while impacting both genders, are more prevalent in women and must be managed differently. On average, 38 percent of women worldwide suffer from a chronic disease, accounting for one-third of female mortality.Meanwhile, at a broader healthcare level, women need better access to appropriate health services and treatment options while overcoming gender inequalities that exist throughout society, such as underrepresentation in medical trials. Put simply, women&rsquo;s health should be one of the world&rsquo;s biggest concerns.<h2>Gender bias in healthcare</h2>However, even in the face of overwhelming evidence that it requires special attention, women&rsquo;s healthcare is too often mistakenly treated as a &lsquo;niche&rsquo; market.That&rsquo;s despite women in the U.S. making around 80 percent of the healthcare decisions for themselves and their families, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. What&rsquo;s more, health spending during women&rsquo;s reproductive years is significantly higher than their male peers; for example, in 2019, average annual health spending for women aged 19 to 34 was more than double that of men in the same age range (data from the Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker).Yet women&rsquo;s health accounts for&nbsp;a mere four percent of the overall funding&nbsp;in research and development for healthcare products and services, says research firm Frost &amp; Sullivan. According to McKinsey &amp; Company, approximately one percent of healthcare research and innovation is invested in female-specific conditions beyond oncology. Rarely are statistics more damning.<h2>Healthy growth potential in healthcare</h2>There are signs of a femtech revolution, however. In 2019, the femtech industry reportedly generated $821 million in global revenue and received $592 million in venture capital investment, according to financial data and research firm PitchBook. Such figures may seem reasonable at first glance, but we must stay focused and consider that women spend an estimated $500 billion annually on medical expenses.Still, femtech is trending upwards. And not before time, especially since women are 75 percent more likely to use digital tools&nbsp;to track their health than men, according to Frost &amp; Sullivan, whose research also estimates women&rsquo;s health technology to have a&nbsp;market potential of $50 billion by 2025.Clinical diagnostics, medical device, and healthcare companies have a major opportunity to exploit this trend. More importantly, femtech can deliver vital improvements across pelvic and uterine health, urogenital and menstrual health, general health and wellbeing, nutrition, fitness, and mental health for women.<h2>Wireless solutions emerge in healthcare</h2>We are in the midst of a surge in digital healthcare solutions and wireless devices that target women&rsquo;s health &ndash; for example, tracking and monitoring menstruation, fertility, pregnancy, breastfeeding, menopause, and more.At CES 2023 in Las Vegas, Movano Health introduced a future iteration of its medical-grade Evie smart ring for women, which will monitor health metrics to help users better understand the timing of their menstrual cycle, including menstruation onset and ovulation windows. The device also offers support for menopausal symptoms through insights delivered to an app on a paired smartphone.As John Mastrototaro, Movano Health&rsquo;s CEO and Director, explained to TechCrunch magazine, monitoring women&rsquo;s temperature through the course of the month, as well as their heart rate, makes it possible to track and predict, for example, when the period is about to start.Elsewhere at CES 2023, Withings demonstrated a version of its hands-free home urine lab, which sits under the front rim of a toilet bowl. It monitors menstrual cycles by tracking hormone levels. The device can even help screen for bladder and ovarian cancer, the company says.<h2>A smart breast pump</h2>One example of an established ground-breaking femtech solution is a smart hands-free breast pump designed to track pumping sessions. Swiss company Medela&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/News/2023/04/The-Freestyle-Hands-free-Breast-Pump-employs-nRF52832-SoC?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Freestyle Hands-Free Breast Pump</a> uses wireless connectivity enabled by the integrated Nordic <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/Products/nRF52832?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">nRF52832</a> SoC&rsquo;s 2.4 GHz multiprotocol radio to link with the user&rsquo;s smartphone. From the mobile, users can view their pumping session data, monitor the device&rsquo;s battery life, and record and view their freezer supply of milk.The lightweight in-bra system&mdash;made up of the pump, two collection cups, four breast shields in two different sizes, and two membranes&mdash;was designed on the back of the company&rsquo;s extensive research to optimize breast milk output and comfort, says Annette Br&uuml;ls, CEO at Medela.<h2>A fetus monitoring patch</h2>Another Nordic-powered product making a mark is a fetal heart rate and movement detector designed for use in the final trimester of pregnancy. Launched by China-based company Extant Future, the <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/News/2022/07/The-Modoo-patch-uses-Nordics-nRF52833-SoC?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Modoo</a> patch records the fetus&#39;s heart rate using passive sonar technology, as opposed to the ultrasound Doppler method traditionally used.Modoo uses an audio sensor to detect vibration on the wearer&#39;s skin. This signal is then amplified, and the data filtered using the Nordic <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/Products/nRF52833?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">nRF52833</a> SoC&rsquo;s powerful Arm Cortex M4 processor with a floating point unit (FPU). The filtering uses algorithms that reduce background noise and track changes over time.The results are transmitted using the Nordic-enabled <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/Products/Bluetooth-Low-Energy?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Bluetooth LE</a> connectivity to the user&#39;s smartphone, where the fetal movement and heart rate curve are analyzed using several years&#39; worth of reference data to help identify signs of intrauterine distress, such as hypoxia. The data can also be securely relayed to the wearer&#39;s physician for further analysis.According to Jiliang Ma, Founder and CEO of Extant Future, it is common in the last months of pregnancy for expectant mothers to be required to record up to three hours of fetal movement each day. This can be an inconvenient undertaking when at home or at work. Modoo aims to provide a viable alternative for home use, says Ma.<h2>Disrupting the market for healthcare</h2>Further disruptive technologies, including AI, machine learning, big data, and the IoT, can help drive innovation in interactive digital health applications for women &ndash; particularly when it comes to prevention and screening. For instance, one study by Lehigh University, Pennsylvania, used AI for cervical screening, which proved to be several times more efficient than Pap smear and HPV tests.There is endless potential for wireless connectivity to help femtech massively disrupt the women&rsquo;s health market and improve the lives and livelihoods of women everywhere. It&rsquo;s up to the whole population&mdash;not half of it&mdash;to make this objective a reality.<hr>This article was first published on Nordic&#39;s <a href="https://blog.nordicsemi.com/getconnected" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" id="isPasted"></a><a href="https://blog.nordicsemi.com/getconnected?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Get Connected Blog</a>. &nbsp;

A positive shift is taking place towards more advanced and specific digital healthcare for women. The so-called ‘femtech’ (female technology) industry has belatedly begun to deliver on the promise of solutions using wireless connectivity to help address women’s health issues.

Femtech addresses the healthcare needs of women

Near ubiquitous wireless tech is making everyday life simpler, safer, and healthier for billions. And as ambitious developers take advantage of evolving technologies, connected devices with smaller form factors will do even more using even less power. But this brave new world hasn&rsquo;t happened overnight.A pivotable moment in the remarkable rise of wireless innovation can be traced back a quarter of a century to the emergence of Bluetooth &ndash; an interoperable protocol that became a standard, accompanied by an open specification for both hardware and software. In its various forms, Bluetooth has powered a significant segment of the connected world ever since.<h2>Changing the game with Bluetooth LE</h2>The release of the original Bluetooth Classic standard drove impressive growth. Still, the introduction in 2010 of a low-energy version, Bluetooth Low Energy&nbsp;(<a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/Products/Bluetooth-Low-Energy?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bluetooth LE</a>), dramatically expanded the technology&rsquo;s range of applications. The development of Bluetooth LE was pushed along by partners, including Nordic Semiconductor &ndash; at the time, a company already renowned as a pioneer in ultra-low power, high-performance wireless connectivity.Bluetooth LE was a game changer because its ultra-low power consumption meant data could be gathered from sensors without requiring frequent battery recharge or replacement. And because handset makers were familiar with the original Bluetooth tech, they rapidly adopted support for the low-power version in their new mobiles.This was the catalyst for a huge market in &ldquo;appcessories&rdquo;, wirelessly linked peripheral devices such as fitness bands that were able to leverage the smartphone&rsquo;s computational horsepower. Today&rsquo;s highly-advanced wearables represent just the latest chapter in that story.<h2>Planet Bluetooth expands</h2>The expansion of &lsquo;Planet Bluetooth&rsquo; has been due to both constant enhancements to the Bluetooth Core Specification&mdash;the technical name for the document that details how to build Bluetooth devices&mdash;and the powerful Bluetooth SoCs with their associated application software that power increasingly sophisticated applications.For example, the introduction of Bluetooth 5 in mid-2016 added some key capabilities to Bluetooth tech&mdash;notably increased range or higher data throughput&mdash;which helped improve functionality across a gamut of wireless applications from smart watches to smart agriculture.The July 2017 release of the Bluetooth mesh 1.0 specification&mdash;as the name suggests, a mesh networking technology&mdash;provided vital functionality for applications in smart lighting, predictive maintenance, asset tracking, and locationing, among others.In 2019, a further update to the Bluetooth Specification, Bluetooth 5.1, brought another powerful application of the technology to the fore &ndash; Direction Finding, a feature that opens up new possibilities for accurate indoor positioning of both assets and people.In the lucrative audio market, LE Audio is described as the &lsquo;future of wireless sound&rsquo; and now allows engineers to enhance both the sound quality and power consumption of wireless audio products. The Bluetooth SIG says that in 2022, 1.36 billion Bluetooth audio streaming devices&mdash;including headsets, headphones, speakers, and earbuds &ndash; were shipped globally. An even more recent development, Auracast broadcast radio, is set to reshape audio sharing.<h2>Bluetooth cements its place in the smart home</h2>Bluetooth is also the wireless tech of choice for commissioning smart home devices. While smart home device manufacturers can select from several low-power wireless protocols, Bluetooth&#39;s unique advantage is its interoperability with smartphones and tablets. And with its inclusion in Matter, Bluetooth tech&#39;s place in the smart home is now cemented.Thanks to these applications and many others, Bluetooth chips are used in their billions. And further growth is forecast. According to the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG), 2023 will see the shipment of 5.4 billion Bluetooth devices &ndash; a figure expected to climb to 7.6 billion by 2027.<h2>Pioneer becomes leader</h2>Nordic&rsquo;s decision to back the Bluetooth LE open standard&mdash;just as it has with <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/Products/Low-power-cellular-IoT?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">cellular IoT</a>, <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/Products/DECT-NR?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">DECT NR+</a>, and <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/Products/WiFi?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Wi-Fi</a> in more recent times&mdash;meant ceding much of its hard-won intellectual property (IP) to others. But such a decision proved a masterstroke; Nordic&#39;s chip shipments made it the global market leader when the low-power wireless segment exploded.Today, Nordic&rsquo;s award-winning, high-performance, yet easy to design-in Bluetooth LE solutions are used by the world&rsquo;s leading brands in myriad products from sports and fitness to industrial automation and education.According to Bluetooth SIG data compiled by DNB Markets, Nordic had a market share of 39 percent of new design certifications in the Bluetooth LE market in 2021. And a total of more than 1,100 new designs were certified in 2022, of which 446 had Nordic inside.Through successive product introductions, Nordic&#39;s chips have continually evolved in performance&mdash;primarily based on the use of more advanced semiconductor manufacturing tech, more generous memory, greater processing power, and highly-refined software. Each new generation has allowed developers to push the boundaries of innovation without making major sacrifices in power consumption.<h2>Applications once unimagined</h2>Like the capability of its products, the performance of applications enabled by Nordic&#39;s low-power wireless tech continues to improve. Two prominent examples include a high-end health monitoring wearable launched by U.S.-based human performance company <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/News/2022/07/The-WHOOP-4-uses-Nordics-nRF52840-SoC?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">WHOOP</a> and China-based OctoNet&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/News/2023/05/OctoNet-Bluetooth-positioning-gateway-employs-nRF52840-and-nRF52833-SoCs?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Bluetooth positioning gateway</a>, which uses the <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/products/nrf52833?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">nRF52833</a> SoC&rsquo;s direction-finding capabilities to keep track of high-value hospital equipment and the whereabouts of staff in hospitals.The list of similarly advanced applications employing Nordic-enabled Bluetooth LE wireless connectivity is extensive. And as Bluetooth continues to spread and evolve, engineers using the omnipresent tech will keep coming up with applications once unimagined. The most recent update is Bluetooth 5.4, which includes enhancements that enable connectionless, bidirectional, secure communication with thousands of very low-power end nodes in a star topology network. Such a topology suits applications such as electronic shelf labels.Bluetooth LE technology has become synonymous with the connected lifestyle across the globe. Whether a dedicated athlete, an intrepid adventurer, a patient with an acute medical condition, or simply a typical consumer in the developed world, we&rsquo;re all citizens of Planet Bluetooth.<hr>This article was first published on Nordic&#39;s&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.nordicsemi.com/getconnected" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" id="isPasted"></a><a href="https://blog.nordicsemi.com/getconnected?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Get Connected Blog</a>. &nbsp;

A pivotable moment in the remarkable rise of wireless innovation can be traced back a quarter of a century to the emergence of Bluetooth – an interoperable protocol that became a standard, accompanied by an open specification for both hardware and software. In its various forms, Bluetooth has powered a significant segment of the connected world ever since.

The rise and rise of Bluetooth

This article was discussed in our <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wevolver.com/profile/the.next.byte&source=gmail&ust=1672821999265000&usg=AOvVaw3lLKdHdEN0YvCEsaHI7hx9" href="https://www.wevolver.com/profile/the.next.byte" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Next Byte podcast</a>.&nbsp;<iframe height="200px" width="100%" frameborder="no" scrolling="no" seamless="" src="https://player.simplecast.com/35985fc0-4a6b-464d-913b-749020b6cf0a?dark=false" class="fr-draggable" data-lf-form-tracking-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-vimeo-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true"></iframe> The full article will continue below.<hr>Sitting more than a kilometer below the antenna that tops the Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall in the United Arab Emirates is an impressive edifice. The world&rsquo;s largest shopping mall boasts more than 1,200 stores spread over four floors across more than half a million square meters. It&rsquo;s an unabashed monument to retail hedonism. Should you tire of shopping, it also offers an underwater zoo, ice rink, cinema complex, and more than 200 cafes and restaurants. Three years after it opened, it was the most visited building on the planet, attracting 54 million visitors in 2011.It is proof &ndash; were proof needed &ndash; that bricks and mortar retail is alive and well. Despite the surge in e-commerce both before and during the pandemic, physical retail still dominates, with $4 trillion passing through U.S. cash registers alone each year. By comparison, online sales are around $1 trillion. Not that the future of retail is offline or online, it&rsquo;s both, but the key to success for physical retail in the digital age is to enhance the customer experience and maximize profits simultaneously. To do so, retailers are embracing wireless technology like never before.<h2>Connectivity across the retail value chain</h2>In the first instance, this has meant <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/News/2020/10/Damage-Control?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">tracking goods across the entire retail value chain</a> in near real-time, from production to warehouse to customer. Access to this data helps retailers get products to the consumer faster and mitigates losses due to damage, spoilage, misplacement, or theft.For example, wireless sensors, connected networks, location services, and machine learning (ML) are now commonplace in warehouses to improve the visibility of items that must be picked and shipped for just-in-time delivery to the customer or store. In transit, Bluetooth LE-powered devices with thermocouples and accelerometers can be placed in refrigerated and fragile cargoes to monitor and record temperatures and impacts.These solutions can ensure cold chain deliveries remain within temperature tolerances and allow rapid remedial action if they aren&#39;t. When paired with cellular IoT technology, data can be sent directly to the cloud, allowing remote monitoring without needing a smartphone or gateway and enabling a more holistic view of an entire supply chain through web-based logistics platforms.<h2>Digital connectivity</h2>Shops themselves are also turning digital as retailers increasingly respond to the demands of today&rsquo;s tech-savvy consumer and their smartphones. If you have ever consulted your smartphone in a store to compare pricing, check the specific details of a product, or read reviews, you are in good company. We all do, and in the case of pricing, retailers know that if you find the same item cheaper online or anywhere else, they&rsquo;ve probably lost a sale. Dynamic pricing allows retailers to adjust pricing based on stock levels, demand, and market conditions. Previously that meant laboriously changing price labels, but wireless technology has eliminated the labor required to do so and made the process near instantaneous.Smart shelf labeling systems enable retailers to automatically update individual shelf price labels from a central point across multiple stores and branches&mdash;or in certain geographic locations&mdash;at the touch of a button. Comprised of a cloud platform, gateways, and <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/News/2021/11/Minew-ESL-uses-nRF52832-and-nRF52810-SoCs?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Bluetooth LE-powered shelf labels</a>, pricing commands can be sent wirelessly from a web-based dashboard to store-located gateways, from which point commands are relayed to the smart labels using Bluetooth connectivity.The smart labels can also be used as beacons for marketing to consumers in close proximity via compatible smartphone apps and for reporting back to the gateway and the cloud platform, allowing retailers to remotely monitor and manage their stock and the precise positioning of products on store shelves. The technology is garnering interest at the apex of the retail food chain, with U.S. retail giant Walmart entering an agreement to roll out 60 million digital shelf labels across 500 locations over the next 12 to 18 months, leveraging the <a href="https://www.bluetooth.com/learn-about-bluetooth/use-cases/electronic-shelf-labels/?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Bluetooth Special Interest Group&rsquo;s (SIG) new standard for ESL</a>.Wireless tech is also helping keep shelves full. Rather than relying on an army of stackers to constantly monitor shelf inventory, tech-savvy retailers are now deploying Wi-Fi-connected shelf cameras and cellular IoT-based remote monitoring to ensure shelves and products remain well stocked. Combined with cloud-based AI models to identify space, staff can focus on replenishing shelves only when required.<h2>Connected maintenance and monitoring</h2>Beyond pricing, stock management, and customer engagement, wireless technologies are now deployed for safety and maintenance monitoring across retail settings beyond pricing, stock management, and customer engagement. A faulty or broken refrigerator in a supermarket could result in thousands of dollars of spoiled stock, or worse, cause a foodborne illness in a customer that could result in a hefty fine and reputational damage. Wireless IoT solutions can mitigate against such risks by <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/News/2022/10/Stratosfys-Tempgenie-employs-nRF52840-SoC?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">automating previously manual temperature measurements</a> and providing an early warning system in the event of food inventory spoilage, or for example, notifying a retailer <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/News/2022/04/SECO-Energy-Sensor-transmits-data-to-the-Cloud-using-the-nRF9160-SiP?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">if a chiller or freezer requires maintenance</a>.One of the most promising communication infrastructures that can be leveraged for maintenance and monitoring is <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/News/2020/02/Zenatix-and-Nordic-powered-OpenThread-mesh-solution-enables-smart-control?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Thread</a>, where IPv6 sensors can be added to create a mesh network to collect data from different parts of a shop. Every mains-powered device in a Thread network extends its coverage and resilience by forming the mesh topology, and it&#39;s designed to support low-power devices such as battery-powered and sensor-based retail applications.Existing lighting infrastructure is the perfect conduit for introducing connectivity and sensors to a Thread or Bluetooth mesh network. Not only can it enable condition monitoring and predictive maintenance, but it can also be used to optimize HVAC and the lighting itself. Lighting infrastructure can host occupancy or presence sensors, adjusting lighting based on the number of people in parts of the store. The sensors can also be used to track the movement of people throughout the store, creating heatmaps to help retailers understand where customers spend the most time to optimize store layout.Other wireless technologies suited to the retail environment range from the proven (Bluetooth Direction Finding enabling in-store wayfinding) to emerging (LE Audio and Auracast broadcast audio for one-to-one or counter-based assistive listening applications). What all the technologies share is their ability to deliver a win-win for both retailer and consumer, driving sales opportunities and providing value-added convenience.<hr id="isPasted">This article was first published on Nordic&#39;s <a href="https://blog.nordicsemi.com/getconnected" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"></a><a href="https://blog.nordicsemi.com/getconnected?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Get Connected Blog</a>. &nbsp;

Not that the future of retail is offline or online, it’s both, but the key to success for physical retail in the digital age is to enhance the customer experience and maximize profits simultaneously. To do so, retailers are embracing wireless technology like never before.

Reinventing retail in the connectivity age

Since the 1970s, the role of pets in the family has changed. Back then, pets were pets, but now sociologists have found that more than eighty percent of dog owners consider their dog a fully-fledged family member, while more than seventy percent of cat owners feel the same (according to Phys Org).That means we want to keep our pets safe, healthy, and happy more than ever. But it&rsquo;s not easy; for example, according to Australian pet supply chain PetBarn, the average adult dog requires between 30 and 60 minutes of exercise daily, with higher-energy and working breeds needing even more. With people living increasingly busy lives, ensuring a pet receives the correct amount of exercise and stimulation can be hard.Lost pets are a problem too. Wandering off is easy for a curious animal, locating an errant hound is much more difficult. According to the American Humane Association, almost 10 million dogs and cats go missing each year in the U.S. alone.<h2>Communication through technology</h2>While humans can tell each other what they need, it&rsquo;s not quite so simple for a cat or a dog armed only with a meow or a bark. To better help owners understand their pets&rsquo; needs, technology is coming to the rescue. The wearables that have been used to keep tabs on human health and fitness are now being adapted for animals.But it&rsquo;s not just fitness products finding a new market through pets. In recent years, several products have been launched with the purpose of providing emergency notifications and tracking for both children and people with Alzheimer&rsquo;s, dementia, or autism. Such location tech is now being turned to help find lost pets.The new applications are powering a booming smart pet device market. Market insights company GMI has found that this segment was valued at $5 billion in 2022 and has an expected CAGR of 15 percent between 2023 and 2032.Sales are largely made up of smart cameras (allowing owners to keep an eye on their pets during the day while at work), some including microphones so owners can speak to their pet, and others even providing a remotely triggered treat. The other growing sector is smart collars; these are ideal for monitoring a four-legged friend&rsquo;s health and fitness habits and locating them if they are ever lost.<h2>Keeping tabs with Bluetooth LE</h2>Pet wearables startup Huan&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/News/2020/05/Huan-Tag-pet-wearable-helps-owners-keep-track-of-pets-via-crowd-location-system?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Huan Tag</a> can be attached to a dog or cat&#39;s collar and paired with the owner&#39;s smartphone via Nordic <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/Products/Bluetooth-Low-Energy?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Bluetooth LE</a> connectivity. This lets users view their pet&#39;s whereabouts via the &#39;Huan&#39; app.Suppose a pet was to wander outside of Bluetooth range. In that case, the company has created &lsquo;Huan Sensors&rsquo; that can be placed in outdoor locations or vehicles to create a wireless network using additional Nordic SoCs. If a pet wearing a Huan Tag is within range of any of these SoCs, its collar triggers a Bluetooth LE to Wi-Fi or LTE-M gateway to notify the owner of the pet&rsquo;s location via the smartphone app.<h2>Widespread coverage with cellular IoT</h2>Another option for when a domestic animal strays outside of Bluetooth range is cellular IoT. Using the established cellular network, cellular IoT tracking solutions enjoy widespread metropolitan coverage, ensuring that Fido can be located even if he heads off on an ambitious journey.An example of a cellular IoT tracking product is Smart Tracking Technologies&rsquo; <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/News/2021/09/Link-smart-pet-wearable-uses-nRF9160-SiP-and-nRF52840-SoC?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Link</a> device, which is designed to attach to a pet&rsquo;s collar. It uses the LTE-M connectivity of Nordic&#39;s <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/products/nrf9160?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">cellular</a> IoT SiP to allow the user to track their pet via the cellular network.The device can also measure the animal&rsquo;s activity via an included inertial measurement unit (IMU), and will enter &lsquo;idle&rsquo; mode when the pet is sleeping to reduce power consumption. Activity information can also be sent to the user&rsquo;s smartphone via Nordic Bluetooth LE connectivity.<h2>Applying Machine Learning</h2>The <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/News/2023/02/The-Lilbit-smart-wearable-employs-nRF9160-SiP-and-nRF52811-SoC" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Lilbit</a> pet tracker also uses the cellular IoT connectivity and the GNSS capabilities of Nordic&rsquo;s SiP to send the pet&rsquo;s location to its owner. Again, this provides a precise locationing when the animal is not within Bluetooth range.The tracker can be paired to the owner&rsquo;s smartphone using Nordic Bluetooth LE connectivity, sending movement metrics from the product&rsquo;s accelerometer, magnetometer, and gyroscope to the corresponding app. Using proprietary machine learning (ML) algorithms powered by the Arm M33 processor in Nordic&rsquo;s SiP, Lilbit can identify behaviors and potential health issues using the movement data.<h2>Extendable range</h2>Another option for providing coverage over a more extended range is the introduction of Amazon Sidewalk. This low-throughput wireless infrastructure combines Bluetooth LE and sub-GHz radio technologies to extend the transmission range of suitably equipped pet trackers by up to a kilometer, using a new protocol in the 900 MHz band. The technology can alert the owner if the pet leaves the property boundary.Wireless tech is not only directly benefiting cats and dogs, but also providing peace of mind for loving owners by confirming that their furry companions are safe and happy. Moreover, thanks to the data provided by pet wearables, we are learning much more about the formerly secret lives of pets &ndash; enabling us to use the information to make these important family members even more content.<hr>This article was first published on Nordic&#39;s&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.nordicsemi.com/getconnected" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" id="isPasted"></a><a href="https://blog.nordicsemi.com/getconnected?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Get Connected Blog</a>. &nbsp;

While humans can tell each other what they need, it’s not quite so simple for a cat or a dog armed only with a meow or a bark. To better help owners understand their pets’ needs, technology is coming to the rescue. The wearables that have been used to keep tabs on human health and fitness are now being adapted for animals.

Bluetooth LE and cellular IoT wearables help us take care of our pets

Enough food is produced each year to comfortably feed the world&rsquo;s 8 billion population. Yet, in 2023 at least 345 million people face high levels of food insecurity, according to the World Food Programme. The true number could be twice that. Between harvest and home, one-third of all the food produced is lost or wasted&mdash;about 2.5 billion tonnes&mdash;the weight of a couple of Mount Everests.It&#39;s a crisis that essentially goes unseen by the fortunate minority, but food waste is not only a humanitarian issue but an ecological one too. If food waste were a country, it would be the third biggest emitter of greenhouse gases behind the U.S. and China. According to the Water Footprint Network, throwing away a single burger wastes about the same amount of water as a 90-minute shower.If the world&#39;s population tips over 9 billion by 2050 as expected, it will require an increase of 70 percent in food availability, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). To reverse the waste, we need to know where it happens.<h2>Why and where we waste</h2>Where the waste occurs in the food supply chain is very different depending on where you live. According to FAO data, in Europe, North America, and industrialized parts of Asia and Oceania, the bulk of waste occurs either during agricultural production or once the food is in the hands of the consumer.In sub-Saharan Africa and other parts of Asia and South America, consumer waste is comparatively modest, but food lost during processing is huge. The statistics highlight the need to improve processing technologies in developing regions and household food waste in industrialized countries. Meanwhile, agriculture, post-harvest, food distribution, service, and retail, can all up their game too. Wireless technology is now playing its part.<h2>Down on the farm</h2>Smart farming&mdash;using data and connectivity supported by AI and analytics&mdash;is helping farmers make better and more precise decisions. Farmers can get a granular picture of their crops and livestock using a combination of connectivity solutions, sensors, autonomous machines, and drones. For example, cellular IoT-connected crop humidity sensors can communicate with sprinklers to deliver exact amounts of water to crops when needed, improving yields.Vertical farming&mdash;indoor installations where plants are stacked vertically on shelves in an enclosed and controlled environment&mdash;use sensor network and connected solutions to automate control and monitor key parameters such as humidity, fertilization, temperature, and light intensity. According to Science Focus magazine, the result is ten times the yield for a given land area.<h2>Preventing distribution losses with Bluetooth LE and cellular IoT</h2>Supply chain food losses due to inadequate refrigeration are estimated to total tens of billions of dollars, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). To mitigate against cold chain transportation and storage losses, Bluetooth LE- and cellular IoT-connected sensors are now commonplace. Temperature and relative humidity sensors are ideal for applications where precise climate control is essential for ensuring product quality. Paired with cellular IoT or Bluetooth LE connectivity, these sensors can continuously monitor temperature and humidity and relay the data to the cloud in near real-time.Not only does this provide an end-to-end data trail to ensure poorly refrigerated product never reaches the consumer, but it also allows logistics operators to take remedial action in the event temperature or humidity levels fall outside of acceptable tolerances, and save a cargo that might otherwise have reached its destination spoiled.<h2>More wireless IoT&nbsp;in store</h2>Traditionally retailers&rsquo; efforts to offload perishable items near their sell-by date have been about as sophisticated as marking down the price and hoping consumers buy them. Two ways technology can help combat this waste is by getting the food to the shelf faster and using dynamic pricing.Major U.S. retailers are employing automation and software solutions so deliveries are organized in shelving sequence, making it possible to be delivered just-in-time from the distribution warehouse to the retail floor without delay. Such systems require end-to-end investment in sensors, connected networks, location services, and machine learning, but if proved effective, they could dramatically reduce waste. Other tech-savvy retailers are now deploying Wi-Fi-connected shelf cameras and cellular IoT-based remote monitoring to ensure shelves and products remain well stocked. With cloud-based AI models, staff can replenish stock as soon as possible.Meanwhile, dynamic pricing is one of the most effective ways of reducing waste. Previously that required physically changing price labels, but wireless technology has now transformed pricing for physical retailers.Comprised of a cloud platform, gateways, and Bluetooth LE-powered shelf labels, pricing commands can be sent wirelessly from a web-based dashboard to store-located gateways, from which point commands are relayed to smart labels using Bluetooth connectivity. Dynamic displays can include pricing, product information, barcodes, and QR codes and can reduce waste and enhance the customer experience and retailer profitability.Smart labels can also be used for reporting back to the gateway and the cloud platform, allowing retailers to remotely monitor and manage their stock and the precise positioning of products on store shelves.<h2>Cutting consumer waste</h2>And consumers can do their bit too. If you regularly throw away vegetables that are starting to turn to a liquid state, or have had to bin a meal that has been incinerated to carbon in the bottom of a pan, technology could help. Wi-Fi-powered fridge cams and connected apps take a photo of the contents of your fridge every time the door is opened. From the app, users can check the contents of their fridge when they are out shopping to avoid doubling up on items they may already have. The app can also act as a ready reckoner for food about to go out of date.Using sensor technology&mdash;such as temperature monitoring and thermal imaging&mdash;combined with ML can turn dumb pots and pans into assistant chefs. Wireless cooking devices can collect data, interpret it using proprietary algorithms, and automatically adjust to perfect cooking temperatures and times.<hr>This article was first published on Nordic&#39;s&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.nordicsemi.com/getconnected" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" id="isPasted"></a><a href="https://blog.nordicsemi.com/getconnected?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Get Connected Blog</a>. &nbsp;

Enough food is produced each year to comfortably feed the world’s 8 billion population. Yet, in 2023 at least 345 million people face high levels of food insecurity, according to the World Food Programme. The true number could be twice that. Between harvest and home, one-third of all the food produced is lost or wasted—about 2.5 billion tonnes—the weight of a couple of Mount Everests.

Wasting away: Wireless IoT tackles global food waste crisis

The latest Bluetooth development may not yet be on everyone&rsquo;s radar, but Auracast broadcast audio is set to revolutionize sound sharing.By allowing an audio source device to broadcast to an unlimited number of receivers, this location-based broadcast application (with a user interface similar to Wi-Fi hotspots) could dramatically change how people consume content and interact with their environment. Better yet, Auracast will be viable across multiple end markets &ndash; from hearing-impaired support services through mass information systems to hospitality.<h2>Next gen Bluetooth audio tech</h2>Auracast broadcast audio is a key new capability enabled by the release of LE Audio &ndash; the new generation of Bluetooth audio technology created to complement Classic Audio with a high-quality audio streaming option. The introduction of LE Audio added new features which support superior sound, lower latency, reduced power consumption, and enhanced interoperability, plus ease the development of new audio device types.LE Audio is primed to play an increasingly central role in how people listen to content and engage with their environment. A report compiled by analyst ABI Research on behalf of the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) forecasts three billion Bluetooth LE Audio-enabled devices will be shipped in 2027. That figure was 115.5 million in 2022.<h2>Helping the world sound better with Auracast</h2>Technically, Auracast defines a specific set of requirements that uses Bluetooth tech&rsquo;s Public Broadcast Profile (PBP) specification for a universal format and availability of a public broadcast.In practical use, Auracast allows an audio source device like a smartphone, laptop, TV, public address (PA), or sound system to broadcast one or several audio streams to an unlimited number of Bluetooth audio receivers. The broadcast would use <a data-lf-fd-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/-/media/Publications/Wireless-Quarter-pdf/2020/NS_WQ_Issue1_2020_1.pdf?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Bluetooth 5.2 specification</a>&#39;s Isochronous Channels to transmit signals to things like headphones, True Wireless Stereo (TWS) earbuds, or more specialized audio products like hearing aids.With ABI Research suggesting&nbsp;57 percent&nbsp;of users plan to increase the time they spend using their audio devices, Auracast enables new market opportunities to attract consumers with both public and private broadcast use cases.<h2>Tuning in anywhere with LE Audio</h2>The Bluetooth SIG has identified five of these audio use cases. The primary promoted use case for Auracast is for it to become a high-quality, lower-cost augmented and assistive listening technology in venues where a PA or hearing loop infrastructure is currently deployed.Thanks to its connectionless broadcast capabilities, LE Audio allows any number of users to effectively tune into various public audio streams using their own devices. Such a use case opens up wider accessibility for over 1.5 billion people (nearly 20 percent of the global population) suffering with hearing loss. This is a group the World Health Organization (WHO) anticipates will grow to 2.5 billion by 2050.Auracast can also enable multi-language audio streams in locations that support simultaneous translation services. Users will be able to tune into a relevant stream for their preferred language.A more niche use case enables people to join audio tours in venues such as museums, stadiums, and tourist attractions. Elsewhere, individuals could use their Auracast assistant and headset device to tune into the audio of a particular screen at a venue where televisions are installed, but no audio is provided, or where the audio is hard to hear. Longer term, one-to-one or counter-based assistive listening applications could emerge in retail and other service environments.<h2>Getting started with Auracast</h2>To bring such use cases to life and make the most of Auracast&rsquo;s potential, Bluetooth LE SoCs with plenty of processing power yet modest energy consumption are in demand. An ideal solution is Nordic Semiconductor&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/Products/nRF5340?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">nRF5340</a> SoC, which incorporates two processor cores&mdash;one a dedicated application processor, the other a power optimized network processor&mdash;and an advanced feature set, provides the ideal combination of performance and energy use to meet the demands of LE Audio and advanced &lsquo;hearable&rsquo; applications.Nordic&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/Products/Development-hardware/nRF5340-Audio-DK?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">nRF5340 Audio DK</a> supports all Auracast features and incorporates everything developers need to embark on LE Audio projects. The Development Kit is configurable and can function as a USB dongle to send or receive audio data from a PC, a business headset, or a TWS Earbud.<h2>The future of hearing</h2>Soon, everyone will be able to seamlessly use their own devices to experience ground-breaking Auracast technology. Public venues&nbsp;like auditoriums, lecture halls, cinemas, theaters, and transit centers will add support for Auracast broadcast audio to existing sound systems, bringing audio clarity to people wherever they go. And it won&rsquo;t be long before locations like sports bars, gymnasiums, restaurants, and waiting areas add support for Auracast to their silent TVs, allowing visitors to unmute screens if they so wish.Picture an airport terminal, where even in the best circumstances, boarding and gate announcements can be difficult to hear. Now airports will be able to add support for Auracast to their existing sound system so visitors can hear high-quality public address audio in their Bluetooth&nbsp;earbuds or hearing aids. And air travelers could select the Auracast broadcast for their specific terminal, filtering out unnecessary announcements.<h2>A market on the move</h2>All signs point to the Auracast broadcast audio market making a massive impact this decade. According to ABI Research, by 2030 there will be nearly 2.5 million Auracast deployments across venues such as libraries, social or meeting venues, recreational facilities, entertainment and culture, and airports and transportation hubs. Public assembly use cases will account for nearly 42 percent of those deployments. Silent TV screens, assistive listening, and multi-language support applications are expected to become increasingly prevalent over time.As the market develops and the installed base of Auracast devices grows, new use cases are likely to emerge. The world is about to open its ears like never before.<hr>This article was first published on Nordic&#39;s&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.nordicsemi.com/getconnected" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" id="isPasted"></a><a href="https://blog.nordicsemi.com/getconnected?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Get Connected Blog</a>. &nbsp;