The upcoming generation of STMicroelectronics’ short-range wireless microcontrollers(MCUs) STM32WBA5 has been made public. Wearables and smart things, such as health monitors, smart appliances, and smart home appliances, are made easier to use, more economical, safe, and more compact by these new ST short-range wireless MCUs. 
Making Wireless More Convenient
The infrastructure that connects smart devices to home bridges, gateways, controllers, and smartphones is made up of short-range wireless technologies including Bluetooth LE, Zigbee, and Thread (which are used in smart meters and smart buildings).
Vendors want to launch innovative, high-performing products faster and under strict budgetary limits, while we all look for ways to live more sustainably, economically, and comfortably. They must also be fashionable, small, low-profile, or even hidden inside other devices, like smart lamps. This trend includes becoming wireless for convenience, adaptability, and style.
By removing the obstacles associated with wireless design, ST’s new STM32WBA5 product family of short-range wireless MCUs enable an incredibly tiny one-chip solution that lowers the bill of materials and speeds up time to market.
Furthermore, the new range of devices makes it easier to migrate current wired products to STM32 microcontroller development ecosystem software packs and development tools.
Zigbee, Thread, Matter (Thread RCP), Thread LE 5.4, and Zigbee Low-energy are among the wireless technologies that may be used by the flagship STM32WBA55 microcontroller of the new series to interact simultaneously.
The STM32WBA5 short-range wireless MCUs and Matter border router are the ideal combination for this brand-new open-source networking standard for Internet of Things and smart home gadgets.
The STM32WBA55 short-range wireless MCUs facilitates an excellent user experience while streamlining the development process for hardware and software developers, helping to save costs and accelerate the time to market for innovative products.
Furthermore, with this version, ST has included support for the recently completed Bluetooth LE Audio standards.
To help create exciting new product potential for enhanced listening and hearing. One of these is the recently released Bluetooth Auracast feature, which opens up a whole new world of music broadcasting options.
“Lead customers are already appreciating the enhanced wireless performance, flexibility, and security of our latest STM32WBA wireless microcontrollers. They are creating diverse products including smart thermostats, tracking devices, smart chargers, headsets, power tools, and smart meters,” said Benoit Rodrigues, Wireless MCU Division General Manager, STMicroelectronics. “The extensive software ecosystem that provides communication stacks, microcontroller-specific software packs, sample code, and tools helps developers bring new products to market based on these MCUs quickly and efficiently.”
First Wireless MCU With SESIP Certification
The STM32WBA family is the first wireless microcontroller on the market to obtain the crucial Level 3 security certification from SESIP (Security Evaluation Standard for IoT Platforms).
This means that smart devices with STM32WBA short-range wireless MCUs are prepared to meet the requirements of the EU Radio Equipment Directive (RED) and the US Cyber Trust Mark, which are set to go into effect in 2025.
“We work with smart asset tracking devices which are connected through Bluetooth to mobiles and through mobile apps to the cloud, enabling us to deliver complete asset tracking management for our customers. ST’s microcontrollers bring wireless connectivity to our multi-mode trackers,” said Olivier Hersent, CEO, Abeeway (Actility Group). “We have selected the new wireless connectivity product, STM32WBA5, for its enhanced performance with ultra-low power radio capabilities, which is key for our battery powered devices. They ensure stable connectivity in the harsh industrial environment where we operate, combined with security that meets the highest industry standards.”
“We believe that gaming peripherals should be as unique and accessible as the gaming community itself,” said Tom Roberts, CTO, Performance Designed Products (PDP). “ST and PDP have worked together through several Video Game generations, and we have used STM8 and STM32 devices for many years. ST products consistently provide the features we need in our highly competitive market segment. We recently selected ST’s short-range wireless connectivity product, the STM32WBA5, based on the integrated MCU and Bluetooth low-energy technology, as the right solution for a new, groundbreaking game controller. The STM32WBA offered us an ideal combination of performance, peripherals, cost efficiency and ecosystem support that enabled simple and fast development.”
Availability and Pricing
On March 12, the new STM32WBA5 product range will be accessible on st.com. Get price details and sample requests from your local ST sales office. In June 2024, ST will provide a ready-to-use module that includes the STM32WBA combined with the required external parts, such as the power supply and antenna balancing circuits.
