BlueNRG‑Tile Reference Design Enables Real‑Time Proximity Detection for Contact Tracing

STMicroelectronics' BlueNRG‑Tile reference design leverages a Bluetooth Low Energy SoC to provide accurate, real‑time proximity monitoring essential for contact‑tracing and social‑distancing applications.

Built on the company's BlueTile sensor node development kit, the solution measures the received signal strength indicator (RSSI) of nearby Bluetooth beacons that do not establish a connection, then computes distance in real time. When another beacon breaches a user‑defined perimeter—or if the beacon is tampered with—the system can trigger an alert even without a smartphone or 5G connectivity.

In addition to the ultra‑low‑power BlueNRG‑2 SoC with tunable RF output, the base design can be augmented with the S2‑LP sub‑GHz RF transceiver. This enables bidirectional tag‑to‑cloud communication over the Sigfox 0G global network, allowing secure, anonymous provisioning, push notifications, and a return channel for emergency warnings. A MEMS accelerometer powers the device down when it is stationary, further extending battery life.

The compact, ready‑to‑deploy reference design can be worn as bands or bracelets for open‑air or indoor professional settings—factories, offices, and medical facilities—or integrated as a plug‑in for eyewear, helmets, masks, and shields.

>> This article was originally published on our sister site, EDN.