Renesas RE01B microcontroller with Bluetooth 5.0 support

Renesas Electronics has introduced the RE01B microcontroller (MCU) with Bluetooth 5.0 support, expanding its RE family of 32-bit, ultralow-power consumption MCUs. Developed using the company’s SOTB (Silicon on Thin Buried Oxide) process technology, the Bluetooth-capable MCU is suitable for energy harvesting systems and intelligent IoT devices that need to operate constantly at low power levels without the need to replace or recharge batteries.

The MCU makes it easy to implement regular data management and firmware updates over Bluetooth while maintaining ultralow power consumption and extending battery life. Applications include compact healthcare devices such as pulse oximeters and biomedical sensor patches; remote controls with voice recognition capabilities; and smart meter modules. In addition, the product is suitable for IoT devices that require constant operation, periodic data collection and updates, such as devices for monitoring the elderly, children or assets in transit.

Built around the Arm Cortex-M0+ core, the unit operates at a maximum operating frequency of 64 MHz and achieves current consumption as low as 35 µA/MHz during operation and 600 nA during standby. It can be combined with Renesas’s ISL9123 ultralow Iq DC/DC converter, configured as an external step-down regulator, to reduce current consumption during operation down to 15 µA/MHz for even better power efficiency.