u-blox has announced two additions to its Bluetooth LE portfolio, ALMA-B1 and NORA-B2. These modules are based on the latest generation nRF54 Series Systems-on-Chip (SoCs) from Nordic Semiconductor. They both support Bluetooth LE 5.4 and Thread/Matter technologies in a compact, power-efficient, and secure format. ALMA-B1 and NORA-B2 are designed for a wide range of IoT applications, including industrial automation, healthcare, and smart home. ALMA-B1 is a high-end wireless MCU, while NORA-B2 brings ultra-low power to less complex applications. In the indoor positioning example, ALMA-B1 could act as an anchor point due to its vast processing capabilities, while the power efficiency of NORA-B2 makes it suitable for asset tracking tags.
Powered by the nRF54H20 and the nRF54L15 Nordic low-power multiprotocol SoCs, ALMA-B1 and NORA-B2 provide IoT devices with the processing power for edge computing and machine learning without additional components. With more than twice the processing power of previous Bluetooth LE modules, ALMA-B1 can even replace general-purpose MCUs in a compact solution. Both modules also offer a significant reduction in power consumption. NORA-B2 consumes up to 50% less current compared to previous generations of Bluetooth LE modules.
Designed for PSA Certified Level 3, ALMA-B1 and NORA-B2 provide the highest levels of IoT security. In addition to features like secure boot, secure storage, secure debug interfaces, and hardware crypto accelerators, both modules include next-generation security features like physical tamper detection and protection against side-channel attacks. The sizes of the modules (10 x 11 mm or 10 x 14 mm) save considerable space and facilitate migration from other u-blox’s modules. Both modules come with global certifications.
