Modules Integrate Nordic's nRF54L15 SoC For Superior Processing And Low Power Consumption
Seeed Studio XIAO nRF54L15 Series modules use next generation SoC to supervise sensors and enable multiprotocol wireless connectivity
IoT technology company, Seeed Studio, has launched a new module series based on Nordic Semiconductor's next generation nRF54L15 ultra-low power wireless SoC.
The modules are designed to enable a broad range of IoT applications where compact size, low power consumption, and multiprotocol wireless connectivity are essential – such as wireless sensors, wearables, and smart home devices. The platform also supports ‘Edge AI’ and rapid prototyping, helping developers and startups create compact AIoT (Artificial Internet of Things) projects with onboard processing capabilities.
nRF54L15 SoC supports multiprotocol connectivity
The 21 by 17.8 mm ‘Seeed Studio XIAO nRF54L15’ is a compact yet powerful development board. It integrates the nRF54L15 SoC to support various wireless protocols including Bluetooth LE, Thread, Zigbee, and Amazon Sidewalk, making it highly versatile for IoT applications. In addition to the connectivity, the Nordic SoC features an Arm Cortex-M33 processor clocked at 128 MHz, a RISC-V coprocessor for running software-defined peripherals while handling time-critical tasks, together with 1.5 MB non-volatile memory (NVM) and 256 KB RAM. This provides sufficient resources to run wireless protocol stacks alongside application code.
An alternative version of the module, the ‘Seeed Studio XIAO nRF54L15 Sense’, adds even more value by integrating two onboard sensors—a digital microphone and 6-axis inertial measurement unit (IMU)—enabling developers to incorporate voice and motion functionality directly without requiring additional components. With support for Nordic's nRF Connect SDK (a unified and flexible software development kit for building IoT products), Zephyr RTOS, and PlatformIO, developers have access to a robust and flexible software ecosystem that accelerates Proof-of-Concept development.
The mature developer ecosystem surrounding Nordic's products made it easier for our engineering team to get up to speed quickly and efficiently
Kevin Yang, Senior Product Manager and Maker Team Lead at Seeed Studio
“Using a Seeed Studio XIAO nRF54L15 Series module, smart home and consumer devices can benefit from Matter, Thread, and Bluetooth LE support for seamless connectivity and energy-efficient automation,” explains Kevin Yang, Senior Product Manager and Maker Team Lead at Seeed Studio. “Wearables and portable electronics leverage the low-power design, onboard IMU, and microphone for applications like fitness tracking, gesture control, and voice input. And Industrial IoT [IIoT] applications can use Zigbee, Thread, or Sidewalk protocols for asset tracking, sensor networks, and predictive maintenance solutions.”
Designed for low power consumption, the XIAO nRF54L15 module is ideal for battery-powered devices. It provides 14 GPIOs, a USB Type-C interface, and onboard battery charging capabilities, which together simplify hardware design and development. Low power consumption is thanks in part to the ultra-low power characteristics of the nRF54L15 SoC, including Nordic proprietary technologies such as low-leakage RAM and design expertise used in the company’s fourth generation ultra-low power multiprotocol 2.4 GHz radio.
“Having previously developed the XIAO nRF52840 [employing the Nordic nRF52840 SoC], the nRF54L15 SoC represents a natural evolution,” says Yang. “It offers a faster processor, increased memory capacity, improved power efficiency, and support for more advanced wireless protocols. These enhancements made it an obvious choice for our XIAO nRF54L15 Series, providing our users with a significant upgrade path.
nRF Connect SDK provides enables seamless development
“The nRF Connect SDK with Zephyr RTOS was also instrumental in our decision. It provides developers with a stable, mature framework that supports multiple wireless protocol stacks and integrates seamlessly with popular development tools like PlatformIO,” adds Yang.
“Furthermore, Nordic's technical documentation is comprehensive and well-structured, which helped us avoid development pitfalls when creating our own documentation and support resources. Additionally, the mature developer ecosystem surrounding Nordic's products made it easier for our engineering team to get up to speed quickly and efficiently.”
Source: Nordic Semiconductor