Laird Connectivity BL653 Series modules

The Laird Connectivity BL653 Series modules deliver Bluetooth 5.1 connectivity, long range, multi-wireless capabilities and an extended temperature range up to 105°C.

Powered by the compact Nordic nRF52833 system-on-chip (SoC), the modules capitalise on the SoC’s 64 MHz Arm Cortex-M4 with FPU, high output power of up to +8 dBm and -95 dBm sensitivity in 1 Mbps. Featuring a comprehensive range of configurable interfaces, they provide support for NFC and 802.15.4 communication (Thread and Zigbee) for a range of Internet of Things (IoT) applications in industrial settings and other harsh environments.

The modules offer Bluetooth 5.1 features such as direction finding with angle of arrival (AoA) and angle of departure (AoD), as well as long-range (Coded PHY) and 2M PHY support for data rates of 2 Mbps, 1 Mbps and 125 Kbps. The small 15 x 10 x 2.2 mm modules also support flexibility in application design, enabling developers to choose between Laird Connectivity’s smartBASIC, simple AT command set, Nordic SDK or Zephyr RTOS. The module family includes integrated PCB trace antenna options for overall design simplicity or Trace Pad variants for connecting a range of pre-certified internal and external antenna options.

The series includes modular FCC, IC, CE, RCM, MIC and Bluetooth SIG approvals, which extend to an OEM’s design with no new testing for the fastest route to production. Design engineers can take advantage of the fully featured BL653 development kit, available with either an internal antenna or a range of pre-certified external FlexPIFA antennas, which provides the necessary tools to begin Bluetooth Low Energy development.