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nPM1300-powered indoor and outdoor sports data tracker provides key performance insights
25
Aug
2025
2025
Oslo, Norway
PlayerData’s Edge Air tracker uses Nordic nRF52840 SoC for core processing and Bluetooth LE connectivity, and nPM1300 PMIC to achieve up to 12-hour battery life
U.K.-based PlayerData has released what it claims is the world’s lightest indoor and outdoor sports data tracking solution to combine Global Positioning System (GPS) with Local Positioning System (LPS) based on ultra-wideband (UWB) technology.
The compact, lightweight (20 g) ‘PlayerData Edge Air’ integrates sensors including an inertial measurement unit (IMU) and is designed to provide a comprehensive set of performance metrics including speed, distance, acceleration/deceleration, and position on the field or court.
nPM1300 PMIC delivers superior battery life
The PlayerData Edge Air employs the Nordic Semiconductor nRF52840 Bluetooth® LE advanced multiprotocol SoC to meet the system’s complex processing and short range wireless connectivity requirements. In addition, the device integrates the Nordic nPM1300 Power Management IC (PMIC) to help achieve “industry leading” battery life amongst competitive solutions, according to the company.
Once PlayerData Edge Air is attached to the individual athlete’s custom sports vest, data for the session is tracked, recorded, and transmitted to a smartphone via the Nordic SoC-enabled Bluetooth LE wireless connectivity, as well as synced to the Cloud over a 5G, cellular, or Wi-Fi network. The performance insights are automatically accessible through PlayerData’s associated iOS/Android app on the personal devices of the athlete or coach.
“Our new tracker enables athletes and coaches at any level of sport to instantly access performance insights that help take the guesswork out of practice, planning, recruiting, and gameday tactics,” explains Roy Hotrabhvanon, CEO, PlayerData.
“The GPS functionality allows performance metrics to be monitored when athletes are located outdoors, while UWB allows accurate tracking in any indoor space. The Bluetooth LE connectivity provides an easy way to interface with multiple devices.”
Power management is the first step towards having a good product, and by incorporating the highly configurable nPM1300 in our solution, we have addressed this key element of any sports data tracker while achieving an impressive form factor to help target the mass market
Roy Hotrabhvanon, CEO, PlayerData.
Powerful processing capability
The Nordic nRF52840 SoC’s 64 MHz, 32-bit Arm® Cortex® M4 processor is designed to support the Floating Point (FP) and Digital Signal Processing (DSP) computations required to run the PlayerData Edge Air’s complex applications.
“We selected the Nordic nRF52840 for its Bluetooth performance, range, and low power consumption, as well as the fact the SoC is well supported from a software perspective, especially within the Zephyr framework which made development very easy,” says Hotrabhvanon.
The PlayerData Edge Air unit uses a custom battery solution paired with the Nordic nPM1300 PMIC to achieve battery life of between 8 to 12 hours before recharge. The nPM1300 simplifies system design by integrating essential power management functions required for embedded Bluetooth LE designs into one small package, enabling longer run times and efficient battery charging with fewer components.
“Power management is the first step towards having a good product, and by incorporating the highly configurable nPM1300 in our solution, we have addressed this key element of any sports data tracker while achieving an impressive form factor to help target the mass market,” adds Hotrabhvanon. “Prior to using the nPM1300, we relied on four discrete ICs [integrated circuits] to do the same job.”
