Smart rings have often been limited by size and power, but Bravechip is aiming to shift those expectations. The company’s new BCL603S2H chiplet is built around Nordic Semiconductor’s nRF54L15 SoC, combining efficient wireless connectivity with enough computing headroom to run advanced health sensors and interactive features without draining the battery.
Processing Power for Wearables
The module measures only 5 × 5 mm, yet it houses an Arm Cortex-M33 processor running at 128 MHz and a dedicated RISC-V coprocessor for time-critical tasks. With 1.5 MB of NVM and 256 KB of RAM, there’s enough memory to handle data from multiple onboard sensors while maintaining a reliable Bluetooth LE link to a smartphone.
Bravechip has prepared five versions of the chiplet. Entry models cover familiar metrics like heart rate, oxygen saturation, sleep patterns, stress levels, and temperature. Higher-tier options expand into ECG recording and pulse wave transit time blood pressure tracking, features that bring the device closer to medical-grade performance. Depending on the model, developers also gain access to gesture recognition, haptic alerts, NFC for contactless payments, vibration motors, and microphones for voice input.
From Health Monitor to Device Controller
The company sees the smart ring as more than a passive health tracker. With gesture sensing and touch interaction, a ring could be used to trigger a phone’s camera, control music, or even operate smart glasses.
“From a single smart ring, anything is possible,” says Jin Zongming, Bravechip’s CEO. “Medical-grade health monitoring, gesture-based device control, NFC payments, and notifications are all supported thanks to Nordic’s latest SoC.”
Tackling Battery Life
One of the biggest challenges with smart rings is runtime. Bravechip addresses this by pairing the SoC with an integrated PMIC and voltage regulator, while taking advantage of Nordic’s low-leakage RAM and low-power radio design. The result is reduced heat and significantly longer life between charges, two practical improvements for everyday use.
Zongming points out that the higher clock speed and compact footprint of the nRF54L15 enable quick response times and support for more complex algorithms, including AI-driven health analysis. Developers also benefit from Nordic’s reference designs, which can shorten development cycles and reduce risk.
The Bigger Picture
As wearables continue to shrink, the demand for efficient yet capable platforms is only increasing. Bravechip’s chiplet positions the smart ring as a serious alternative to larger wrist-worn devices, offering health monitoring and interaction features without compromising comfort. With Nordic’s nRF54L15 at its core, the technology may help accelerate adoption in consumer health, fitness, and connected lifestyle products.
Learn more and read the original announcement here.
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