SPARK Microsystems Partners with Nordic Semiconductor for a High-Performance Gaming Mouse Platform

Ultra-low-power wireless communication specialist SPARK Microsystems has announced a platform design that pairs its SR1120 Low-Energy Ultra Wideband (LE-UWB) technology with Nordic Semiconductor's nRF54LM20 Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) system-on-chip — targeting latency-sensitive battery-powered devices like game controllers and mice.

"Nordic Semiconductor equips device manufacturers with leading-edge Bluetooth LE and MCUs [Microcontroller Units] to push performance profiles to new heights. This is where LE-UWB shines," claims SPARK Microsystems chief executive officer Fares Mubarak of the partnership. "Leveraging Nordic's industry-leading application expertise and leadership in Bluetooth wireless enablement, our collaboration expedites time to market for manufacturers seeking connectivity options that unleash gamer performance."

"The nRF54 Series of SoCs [Systems-on-Chips] exemplifies Nordic's leadership as a de facto standard for high-performance wireless devices. LE-UWB connectivity from SPARK is a natural complement to enhance the gaming experience," adds Nordic's executive vice president for short-range devices Øyvind Strøm. "Designers and manufacturers seeking the fastest path to powerful performance count on Nordic for innovations like these to differentiate gaming platforms in a competitive market."

The platform combines Nordic's nRF54LM20 system-on-chip with a SPARK SR1120, delivering both Bluetooth Low Energy connectivity and SPARK's proprietary LE-UWB simultaneous through dedicated radios. The latter has already been deployed in SteelSeries' Sensei Pro and Rival Pro gaming mice to deliver a lag-free connection at an 8,000Hz polling rate, while the former offers a multi-protocol 2.4GHz with BLE, IEEE 802.15.4, and proprietary modes, a single Arm Cortex-M33 core running at up to 128MHz, 512kB of static RAM (SRAM), 2,036kB of non-volatile memory, and a low-power RISC-V coprocessorr running at up to 128MHz.

SPARK Microsystems is showcasing a reference gaming mouse design in Hall C3 Booth #178 at electronica 2026 in Munich this week, and claims the platform is "being evaluated by leading gaming peripheral manufacturers." Additional information is available on the SPARK Microsystems website.