Bike computer provides smartphone-free navigation functionality

The Nordic nRF52840 SoC provides multiprotocol Bluetooth LE and ANT+ connectivity to the C406 Pro to obtain and send riding data from peripheral devices

Intelligent technology company, Magene, has launched a multifunctional GPS bike computer that can record over 100 different items of riding data across 13 categories as well as support up to eight peripherals. The ‘C406 Pro’ uses satellite positioning to accurately record and display a range of data such as speed, mileage, time, temperature, and altitude on its 2.4-inch LCD screen. The integration of Nordic Semiconductor’s multiprotocol nRF52840 SoC allows the bike computer to support sensor devices such as heart rate monitors, power meters, speed and cadence sensors as well as electronic shifting systems and the company’s ‘L508 Radar Tail Light’.

The nRF52840 SoC’s 64MHz Arm Cortex M4 processor—supporting Floating Point (FP) and Digital Signal Processing (DSP)—provides what Nordic says is ample computational resources to supervise the data acquisition, data processing, data saving, and GUI display. The SoC’s Bluetooth LE wireless connectivity enables data to be synced between the C406 Pro and Magene’s ‘OnelapFit’ app on a smartphone. From the app the user can review and manage their ride data and statistics, engage with social media platforms, as well as select training modes. The SoC also supports the ultra low power ANT+ wireless protocol which allows the bike computer to be simultaneously linked with complementary ANT+ Magene and third party devices.

High end affordable technology

“Our goal is to build as much functionality into our bike computer as we possibly can, while remaining cost and price competitive,” says Fanbin Kong, CTO of Magene. “We want cycling enthusiasts to experience high-end bike computers at affordable prices, and Nordic technology has helped us achieve this.”

The device can also be connected to the Magene ‘L508 Radar Tail Light’, which can sense the relative position and speed of vehicles approaching from the cyclist’s rear using radar. Through Nordic’s nRF52832 SoC, the radar tail light can transmit the information to the C406 Pro, which can give the rider a real time warning when a vehicle approaches.

“As a brand, Nordic has mature market experience, an enormous number of customer success stories, and timely technical support,” says Kong. “That’s why we selected Nordic’s SoCs for the C406 Pro and L508.

Shortened design cycle

“Additionally, the nRF Connect SDK (software development kit) provided comprehensive data and rich examples, which helped us quickly implement our product design, especially for the Bluetooth LE and ANT+ connectivity.”