Oslo, Norway – August 21, 2025 – Electronic entertainment and hospitality brand Puttshack has launched an upgraded version of its smart golf ball tracking technology, built on Nordic Semiconductor’s next-generation nRF54L15 system-on-chip (SoC), enhancing the entertainment experience at Puttshack locations across the United States, making 9-hole mini golf even more exciting.
The Trackaball solution monitors and analyzes the status of each golf ball in real-time as it moves between different holes, such as ball movement, pickup, downhill, deceleration, stationary, or in ‘special’ areas like the hole or goal. Each ball is linked to the player’s personalized play profile, recording every shot, obstacle crossing, and scoring throughout the game.
The powerful nRF54L15 SoC processor monitors the sensors
The 128 MHz Arm® Cortex®-M33 processor and RISC-V co-processor of the nRF54L15 SoC monitor the comprehensive motion and acceleration sensor status of Trackaball, allowing real-time collection and processing of each ball’s specific status and scoring data during play.
Additionally, Trackaball utilizes the fourth-generation ultra-low-power multi-protocol 2.4 GHz radio functionality of the nRF54L15 SoC to enable low-power Bluetooth wireless connectivity, automatically transmitting data from the device to the digital scoreboard.
Puttshack’s Director of Play Engineering, Stephen Slade, explained: “Compared to competitors’ solutions, Trackaball offers higher tracking accuracy and more detailed data, and we have achieved better power efficiency by using the Nordic nRF54L15 SoC.”
The Nordic nPM2100 power management IC (PMIC) extends device battery life
Puttshack stated that Trackaball uses a CR2447 battery, with an expected battery life of over 7.5 years. This long-lasting capability is attributed to the ultra-low power characteristics of the nRF54L15 SoC, along with the inclusion of the Nordic nPM2100 power management IC (PMIC), a groundbreaking addition to the Nordic nPM series PMICs.
The nPM2100 is designed to extend battery life for devices powered by disposable (non-rechargeable) batteries. This chip features a highly efficient boost regulator and a range of energy-saving functions, making it an ideal choice for applications like wireless motion data tracking.
Slade stated: “We chose the Nordic nRF54L15 SoC for the Trackaball solution because of its compact size, Bluetooth 6.0 support, and ultra-low power characteristics. Moreover, the nPM2100 PMIC achieves higher energy savings through battery regulation features and allows for accurate battery measurement.”
He added: “Nordic engineers communicated with us, providing valuable insights that allowed us to advance this project more quickly and at a higher engineering level. Finally, the ongoing strong support from Nordic experts and the assistance from the Nordic DevZone developer forum have been invaluable.”