#Norway #Oslo #Edge AI #Nordic Semiconductor #nRF71

Nordic Semiconductor Launches the nRF71 Series

In a groundbreaking move, Nordic Semiconductor has unveiled its latest
nRF71 series, showcasing a significant leap in battery-powered Wi-Fi technology. This new lineup of Systems-on-Chip (SoCs) not only encompasses Wi-Fi®, Bluetooth® Low Energy (LE), Thread®, but also integrates Edge AI capabilities onto a single chip. This innovation is set to revolutionize the way billions of smart devices operate, allowing them to run efficiently for years on just a single battery.

A Step Towards Energy Efficiency

The nRF71 series is powered by an ultra-low-power design, leveraging the mature software ecosystem that has established Nordic as a trusted leader in Bluetooth LE technology. What sets the nRF71 apart is its remarkable capacity to reduce standby power consumption by up to 20 times when compared to existing Wi-Fi products from the nRF70 series. This improvement opens the doors to new possibilities for developers, particularly in areas like smart home automation, wearable technology, and industrial IoT applications.

As Kjetil Holstad, EVP of Wi-Fi and Energy Management at Nordic Semiconductor, noted, "Edge AI is becoming integral to every connected device, but previously the power demands of Wi-Fi made it impractical for battery-operated devices. With the nRF71 series, Nordic eliminates that challenge. We are consolidating Wi-Fi and Edge AI on a single ultra-low-power platform, enhanced by tools that developers already trust within Bluetooth LE. The next generation of smart products can now seamlessly connect to any network, make real-time decisions on-device, and still operate for years on a single battery."

Integrated Edge AI Capabilities

One of the standout features of the nRF71 series is the ability to perform AI inference directly on the chip, eliminating the need for an external AI processor. This leads to quicker response times, reduced power consumption, and a simpler device architecture. With the built-in Axon Neural Processing Unit (NPU), functionalities such as keyword spotting, anomaly detection, and image classification become feasible for battery-operated devices.

The NPU outperforms the standalone 256-MHz Arm® Cortex®-M33 processor by executing machine learning models 10 to 17 times faster. This enables developers to utilize Nordic’s Neuton software to create compact AI models tailored from their data, ideally suited for autonomous Edge AI use.

From the Axon NPU to Neuton software and over-the-air model updates via nRF Cloud, Nordic is bringing Edge AI capabilities to battery-powered Wi-Fi devices, with application, wireless connectivity, and AI all integrated into a single chip.

Applications Across Multiple Domains

The nRF71 series facilitates the development of battery-intensive smart home hubs, Matter bridges, or Thread Border Routers, all powered by a single chip that also supports Bluetooth LE and Thread. This innovation endows devices like Matter-enable smart locks, security consoles, wearables, and industrial sensors with robust capabilities, powered by two separate radio modules: a Wi-Fi radio module and a state-of-the-art 2.4 GHz multiprotocol radio module from Nordic’s latest nRF54 series of wireless SoCs.

Both modules can operate simultaneously to maintain a Wi-Fi connection to the cloud while monitoring Bluetooth LE or Thread traffic, ensuring efficient communication without protocol interference.

The initial offerings in the nRF71 series include the nRF7120 and nRF7120E models. The nRF7120 supports dual-band Wi-Fi 6, while the nRF7120E additionally features tri-band Wi-Fi 6E and the Axon NPU for hardware-accelerated Edge AI capabilities. Both chips are equipped with 4 MB of non-volatile on-chip memory and 1 MB of accessible RAM.

Showcasing at Electronica 2026

The nRF71 series will be showcased by Nordic Semiconductor at Electronica 2026, located in Hall C6, Stand 159. Developers looking to explore the new capabilities can contact their local Nordic sales representative for information on availability.

About Nordic Semiconductor

Nordic Semiconductor is a prominent player in the realm of energy-efficient wireless IoT solutions. The company provides the core platforms and wireless technologies that interconnected IoT devices worldwide across consumer, health, and industry sectors. With advanced hardware, embedded software, development tools, and cloud lifecycle services, Nordic simplifies the development and maintenance of secure, reliable, and scalable connected products. More insights can be found at www.nordicsemi.com.