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Dynastream's ANT Technology on Nordic chip in Concept2 rowing machine |
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November 17, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Marketing contact: Anne Strand
Phone: +47 22 51 10 62
Fax: +47 22 51 10 99
Mobile: +47 971 63 752
E-mail: Anne.Strand@nordicsemi.no
Website: www.nordicsemi.no
Latest version of world’s leading gym rowing machine – the Concept2 – employs Nordic Semiconductor’s nRF24AP1™ transceivers running Dynastream’s ANT™ protocol
PM4 performance monitor option on latest Model E version of Concept2 employs Nordic Semiconductor RF transceivers with Dynastream ANT™ protocol enabling cable-free heart rate monitoring and robust wireless linking of up to eight rowers for group racing
Oslo, Norway – November xx, 2006 – Nordic Semiconductor ASA (OSE: NOD) today announced that the latest version of the world’s leading indoor rowing machine – the Concept2 Model E – includes the option of a wireless performance monitor – the PM4 – using Nordic Semiconductor’s 2.4 GHz transceivers. This option allows both wireless heart rate monitoring (using Suunto or ANT+ SPORT heart rate belts) and the ability for up to eight users to wirelessly link their rowers together in order to race together during training. Because the action plays out on each rower’s screen in real time throughout the race, linking helps boost training motivation and enjoyment.
The battery-powered PM4 performance monitor – that is also available as a retrofit for older Concept rowing machines – uses Nordic Semiconductor’s ultra-low power nRF24AP1 transceivers transmitting in the global 2.4 GHz Industrial, Scientific & Medical (ISM) band. The nRF24AP1 transceiver runs Dynastream’s ANT+ SPORT protocol. ANT+ SPORT is a wireless networking technology tailored specifically for the sport and leisure market to encourage product interoperability between different manufacturers.
The nRF24AP1 uses Nordic’s proprietary ShockBurstTM transmission technology. ShockBurst™ suits low-duty cycle, low power applications by allowing the transceiver to remain in an ultra-low power consumption (400 nA) “sleep” mode before periodically waking to transmit for a short time at up to 1 Mbit/s. This lowers the average power consumption, extending battery life dramatically compared with other 2.4 GHz wireless technologies (see “About Nordic’s nRF24AP1” section).
Dynastream’s ANT™ protocol is optimized to run on Nordic’s nRF24AP1 ultra-low power transceivers. The protocol is highly efficient, minimizing bandwidth requirements (helping to reduce power consumption) while providing a robust, interference resistant link. Interference from other 2.4 GHz radio sources is a major challenge in a gym environment where up to eight machines could be linked and many users could be employing wireless heart rate monitors and wireless headphones in a relatively confined space.
“Low power consumption and avoiding interference from other 2.4 GHz devices were the biggest challenges for this application,” says James Fujimoto, Dynastream’s ANT Product Manager. “While other 2.4 GHz technologies use channel-hopping techniques, these are not really suited to an environment like a crowded gym where there could be dozens of conflicting sources. The result would be excessive hopping that results in lost packets that have to be retransmitted, decreasing bandwidth and power consumption.
“This isn’t a co-existence that engineers typically consider. They mainly think of one wireless technology comfortably existing alongside another wireless technology. Rarely have application designers to date had to think about similar types of sensors close together doing the same task and having to work correctly in a small confined area.
“In contrast to frequency hopping techniques, ANT’s TDMA-based system allows for hundreds of co-located sources to transmit without any clashing, loss of bandwidth or increased power consumption. ANT is the ideal protocol for a low-duty cycle, battery-powered application such as Concept2’s PM4 rowing monitor.” (See “About Dynastream and ANT™”.)
“The nRF24AP1 and Dynastream’s ANT protocol are the ideal combination for the PM4 monitor. It’s a technically challenging application that other 2.4 GHz technologies would struggle to meet,” says Geir Langeland, Nordic Semiconductor’s Sales & Marketing Director. “As such the PM4 demonstrates the value of combining Nordic’s ultra-low power transceivers with Dynastream’s ANT protocol for a simple-to-use, power efficient and interference resistant 2.4 GHz wireless link.”
About the nRF24AP1™
Based on the market leading nRF24xx RF core, the nRF24AP1 integrates an ultra-low power 2.4 GHz transceiver for wireless communication with Dynastream Innovation’s production-proven low power network protocol, ANT, to create a true single chip solution.
The nRF24AP1 is an ideal solution for customers looking for a simple-to-use 2.4 GHz transceiver but who do not wish to spend time integrating a networking standard protocol into their system. The nRF24AP1 is a drop-in wireless communications solution that eliminates the need to purchase third party protocol stacks and acquire standards certification through costly acceptance testing.
The entire radio, protocol, peripherals, inductors and filters, are integrated into a single chip. The only external components needed to make a complete system are a crystal, some RC components, and a low cost MCU controlling the application. The application MCU is interfaced to the nRF24AP1 via a UART or SPI serial port. The device is supplied in a 5 by 5 mm package.
The nRF24AP1 offers uni-directional and bi-directional support across 125 channels using TDMA for data security and immunity from interference. It operates from a 1.9 to 3.6 V supply, has a maximum transmission rate of 1 Mbit/s, 0 dBm output power and ultra-low power consumption.
Prime applications include sensor networks, industrial automation, home automation and sports monitoring.
About Dynastream and the ANT™ protocol
Dynastream Innovations Inc. is a privately owned company based at Cochrane in Alberta, Canada, with world-leading expertise in the research and development of proprioceptive, or “smart,” devices using inertial and wireless technology.
Dynastream’s patented technology is the platform on which several personal monitoring devices currently on the market are based. Dynastream has partnered with large global companies that are leaders in the mass market to develop products customized for their market.
Dynastream’s ANT™ protocol is designed and intended for use in personal area applications where size, cost and ultra-low power consumption are critical factors. ANT™ is designed to operate peer-to-peer with no global master, allowing the network configuration to be as flexible as possible. Devices can connect and disconnect from networks with ease and can be optimized for the specific data rates required. The protocol can address over 232 unique devices that can reliably discover and track each other concurrently. Many devices can communicate simultaneously in a multitude of network configurations.
ANT™ is a highly efficient protocol with a message overhead of just 7 Bytes and has been designed to be powered by a watch battery and provide a battery life expectancy of 10 years when operated 1 hour per day with a message interval of 2 seconds.
ANT™ uses Time Domain Multiple Access (TDMA) channel management. TDMA channel management works by subdividing the communication frequency into a number of timeslots allowing many users to share the same frequency. Each transceiver waits for its own timeslot before transmitting, thus avoiding interference from co-located sources. More than 100 frequency channels are supported.
About Nordic Semiconductor ASA
Nordic Semiconductor (formerly Nordic VLSI) is a Norwegian fabless semiconductor company focusing on delivering world-best wireless communication solutions in the license-free ISM bands. The company, which was originally founded in 1983 as a traditional ASIC design house, produces both standard products and custom SoCs. It also offers development services for other companies to access its world leading, in-house RF/mixed-signal design and advanced back-end/physical engineering expertise.
The company’s innovative range of wireless solutions includes:
• The nRF905™ single-chip multiband radio transceiver for the 433-, 868- or 915-MHz ISM band;
• The nRF9E5™ low-cost, single-chip system with fully integrated RF transceiver for the 433-, 868- or 915-MHz ISM band;
• The nRF2401A™ and nRF2402™ compact, lowest cost, lowest current consumption and low voltage supply 2.4-GHz RF transceivers;
• The nRF24E1™ and nRF24E2™ low cost transceivers paired with the industry standard 8051 MCU core and leading peripherals to create the world’s first complete low cost SoCs for global 2.4 GHz operation;
• The nRF24Z1™ single chip system for CD quality audio streaming of up to16 bit, 48 kHz audio;
• The nRF24AP1™ ultra-low power 2.4-GHz transceiver for wireless communication with Dynastream Innovation’s production-proven low-power network protocol, ANT;
• The nRF24L01™ ultra-low cost and power 2.4-GHz transceiver with MultiCeiverTM technology supporting simultaneous communications with up to six wireless devices.
Nordic Semiconductor nRF24xx range of 2.4GHz-transceiver and transmitter devices are aimed at applications such as wireless audio (e.g. MP3 and portable CD player headphones and PC speakers), gamepads, keyboards/mice and intelligent sports equipment. The latest nRF24L01 family, for instance, is targeted at ultra-low cost and power applications such as wireless desktops and intelligent (e.g. wristwatch-based) sports equipment.
Nordic is also a member of the Wibree forum, and has contributed core expertise in ultra-low power RF design to the technology. Wibree is a short range RF communication technology featuring ultra-low power consumption, a lightweight protocol stack and simple integration with Bluetooth. Wibree ushers in the next generation of RF communications by opening up many new opportunities for wireless data links between suitably-equipped mobile phones or personal computers (PCs) and coin cell battery-powered devices such as sports and health sensors. (See www.wibree.nordicsemi.no.)
The custom/consulting services division derives its revenue from working with specific customers to integrate Nordic’s wireless solutions into customer ASICs. Nordic often then continues to manufacture the chip in the long-term for the customer.
The data conversion business area develops and sells IP for use within in-house projects, third-party ASIC design and standard products. The products are leading edge ADCs and DACs for use in areas such as digital photography, WLANs and video.
Nordic’s products are all manufactured in ultra modern semiconductor process technologies through strong relationships with world-best manufacturing facilities. Sales are primarily made through a carefully selected worldwide distribution network. The company has offices in Trondheim and Oslo, Norway, the US, Hong Kong, Korea and Japan, and is listed on the Norwegian Stock Exchange (OSX: NOD). All operations are managed according to the ISO 9001:2000-approved quality assurance system.
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