Nordic's Zephyr-Based SDK for BLE Development - Embedded World 2025

At Embedded World 2025, Nordic Semiconductor showcased Channel Sounding running on Bluetooth Low Energy using their nRF54L15 Development Kit. The demo highlighted how Bluetooth 6.0 enables accurate and secure distance measurement via radio signals, with two supported methods: phase-based ranging and round-trip time.

Channel Sounding is part of the latest Bluetooth LE specification and allows devices to become more context-aware—knowing how far away another device is without relying on signal strength alone. As more mobile devices add support for this feature, applications in access control, automation, and spatial awareness are expected to grow.

Nordic’s implementation is fully supported on their upcoming nRF54 Series SoCs, built for high-performance, low-power wireless applications.

Fast Prototyping with Nordic’s Connect SDK and Zephyr

The demo also highlighted Nordic’s SDK support, enabling developers to experiment with Channel Sounding quickly. Built on the Zephyr RTOS, Nordic’s Connect SDK provides a “batteries included” framework that bundles everything developers need—from Bluetooth protocol stacks to APIs and development tools.

While there’s a learning curve, the SDK is production-ready and supports rapid prototyping. It’s particularly useful for engineers exploring new BLE features such as Channel Sounding on Nordic’s hardware platforms.

The SDK plays a critical role in unlocking the potential of Nordic’s nRF54L15 and nRF54H series by providing structured tools to test, develop, and deploy new features efficiently.

Hands-On Learning with Nordic Developer Academy

To support developers at all experience levels, Nordic offers a free training platform: the Nordic Developer Academy. It’s designed to teach both the SDK and protocol-level knowledge through guided, hands-on exercises.

Available courses include:

• nRF Connect SDK Fundamentals
• Intermediate Firmware Development
• Bluetooth LE and other protocol-specific modules

All training is self-paced and free to access—developers just need a Nordic development kit to get started. This makes it easy to learn how to fully utilise new BLE features, including Channel Sounding, with minimal overhead.

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