Novara main

Novara — Wearable Embedded Hardware Prototype

Novara is a wearable embedded-hardware prototype designed around a distributed PCB architecture: a rigid main controller/power board, a long flexible interconnect, and a dedicated sensor board.

Project Architecture

┌─────────────────────┐
│     MAIN PCB        │
│                     │
│ nRF52833            │
│ Power / USB / SWD   │
│ BLE RF              │
└──────────┬──────────┘
           │
       10-pin FPC
           │
           ▼
┌─────────────────────┐
│     FLEX PCB        │
│                     │
│ ~160 mm flexible    │
│ interconnect        │
└──────────┬──────────┘
           │
       10-pin FPC
           │
           ▼
┌─────────────────────┐
│    SENSOR PCB       │
│                     │

Main PCB

The main board is the central embedded platform and contains:

• nRF52833 BLE microcontroller
• USB-C interface
• Li-Po battery charging/power circuitry
• 3.3 V and 1.8 V power rails
• SWD/debug interface
• RF matching and antenna section
• Main-board user/control interfaces
• 10-pin interface to the flexible interconnect

Flex PCB

The flex board provides the electrical and mechanical interconnect between the wrist/main electronics and the sensor board.

• 2-layer polyimide-based flex design
• Approximately 160 mm long flexible section
• 10-conductor interface
• I²C and sensor interrupt signals
• 3.3 V and 1.8 V power rails
• Multiple ground conductors
• Custom FPC contact termination footprint

Flex Interface

Sensor PCB

The sensor board contains the wearable sensing elements and their local support circuitry:

• MAX30101 optical sensor for PPG/heart-rate related sensing
• TMP117 digital temperature sensor
• BMA400 accelerometer
• Local sensor decoupling and I²C support circuitry
• 10-pin FPC interface to the main/flex assembly

Design Tools

• KiCad
• PCB designed as separate Main, Flex, and Sensor projects

Repository Structure

Novara_PCB_Design/
├── Novara_Main/
│   ├── Novara_main.kicad_pro
│   ├── Novara_main.kicad_sch
│   ├── Novara_main.kicad_pcb
│   └── custom libraries / component files
│
├── Novara_Sensor/
│   ├── Novara_Sensor.kicad_pro
│   ├── Novara_Sensor.kicad_sch
│   ├── Novara_Sensor.kicad_pcb
│   └── custom libraries / component files
│
└── Novara_SensorFlex/
    ├── Novara_Flex.kicad_pro
    ├── Novara_Flex.kicad_sch
    ├── Novara_Flex.kicad_pcb
    └── Library.pretty/

Verification

The three KiCad designs were checked with ERC/DRC during development. The final submission should be treated as a prototype hardware design rather than a production-qualified medical device.

Individual Contribution

This repository contains the PCB design work for the Novara hardware prototype, including:

• Hardware architecture
• Schematic design
• Component and interface selection
• Power architecture
• MCU/RF section design
• PCB layout
• Flexible PCB interconnect design
• Sensor-board integration

Status

Prototype / engineering design — ready for technical review.

The design is intended for evaluation and further hardware validation, including fabrication, assembly, electrical bring-up, RF validation, and sensor testing.