TDK launches STRIDE, a low-power, real-time positioning software for wearables and IoT

• Pedestrian Dead Reckoning software brings continuous indoor/outdoor location to smart watches, glasses, helmets, handhelds and compact devices—without added hardware 

• STRIDE delivers seamless, sensor-agnostic positioning for the wearables market 

  
  

TDK Corporation (TSE:6762) announces Trusted Positioning STRIDE, an embedded Pedestrian Dead Reckoning (PDR) software solution engineered specifically for wearables - including smart watches, head-mounted devices, glasses, and compact sensors. As OEMs push for more intelligent, context-aware wearable experiences, STRIDE provides reliable positioning without the power and hardware demands traditionally required for GNSS-based tracking. 

Wearables today face a critical challenge: adding high-quality positioning typically requires bulky antennas, high-drain GNSS, or costly custom hardware—barriers that limit form factor, battery life, and user experience. STRIDE overcomes these constraints with a low-power, sensor-agnostic software engine that fuses inertial data with GNSS and opportunistic wireless signals, delivering continuous location tracking indoors, outdoors, and everywhere in between. 

“Wearable devices demand positioning that is compact, efficient, and dependable—without sacrificing battery life,” said Chris Goodall, President of Trusted Positioning. “With STRIDE, OEMs can integrate real-time indoor/outdoor positioning into devices of all shapes and sizes. It enables smarter fitness products, safer lone-worker solutions, more immersive AR experiences, and wearable-driven applications that were previously impossible due to power or hardware limitations.” 

STRIDE runs as embedded software, giving OEMs freedom to deploy positioning without redesigning hardware or relying on cloud connectivity. STRIDE processes sensor data in real time, ensures low latency, and can be configured for on-device, companion-device, or cloud-assisted architectures. This flexibility helps manufacturers balance performance, power, and form-factor constraints based on their device strategy. 

For integration questions or technical documentation, contact our team for guidance. 

STRIDE is available immediately for trial evaluation, OEM integration, or companion-device implementations. 

Glossary 

• PDR: Pedestrian dead reckoning 

• OEM: Original equipment manufacturer 

• GNSS: Global navigation satellite system, such as GPS, used for global positioning 

  
  

Main applications 

• Fitness tracking devices: Enables route tracking and performance insights using low-power sensors on the wearable, enhanced through companion apps or cloud-based processing 

• Lone-worker tracking devices: Provides accurate location in remote or GNSS-challenged areas, improving safety and situational awareness 

• Personnel tracking: Ideal for head-mounted or wrist-worn devices used by delivery teams, field staff, and operational personnel who require continuous movement tracking 

• Augmented reality experiences: Enhances AR glasses and helmet-mounted devices by anchoring movement to the physical world without relying on constant GNSS 

• Dismounted operations: Supports real-time tracking of military or emergency personnel to enhance safety and reduce the likelihood of “lost” operators in the field 

  
  

Main features and benefits 

• Low-power on-device mode: Enables continuous PDR in platforms constrained by power, memory, or thermal limits 

• Geofencing mode: Allows location-based alerts and boundaries—ideal for children’s wearables, personnel safety, or activity zones 

• Tethering of sensors: Seamlessly uses GNSS and sensors from a companion phone, reducing hardware demand on the wearable 

• Off-device processing: Supports computation on a smartphone or in the cloud for advanced analytics or battery savings 

• GNSS duty-cycling: Dramatically extends battery life by activating GNSS only when necessary 

• Flexible mounting support: Works across watches, smart glasses, helmets, chest-mounted devices, and more 

• Embedded & real-time: Runs directly on the device with low latency—no dedicated infrastructure, no specialized hardware 

• Hardware-independent & sensor-agnostic: Integrates easily with a broad range of IMUs and GNSS receivers 

  
  

About TDK Corporation 

TDK Corporation (TSE:6762) is a global technology company and innovation leader in the electronics industry, based in Tokyo, Japan. With the tagline “In Everything, Better” TDK aims to realize a better future across all aspects of life, industry, and society. For over 90 years, TDK has shaped the world from within; from the pioneering ferrite cores to cassette tapes that defined an era, to powering the digital age with advanced components, sensors, and batteries, leading the way towards a more sustainable future. United by TDK Venture Spirit, a start-up mentality built on visions, courage and mutual trust, TDK’s passionate team members around the globe pursue better—for ourselves, customers, partners, and the world. Today, the state-of-the-art technologies of TDK are in everything, from industrial applications, energy systems, electric vehicles, to smartphones and gaming, at the core of modern life. TDK’s comprehensive, innovative-driven portfolio includes cutting-edge passive components, sensors and sensor systems, power supplies, lithium-ion and solid-state batteries, magnetic heads, AI and enterprise software solutions, and more—featuring numerous market-leading products. These are marketed under the product brands TDK, EPCOS, InvenSense, Micronas, Tronics, TDK-Lambda, TDK SensEI, and ATL.  Positioning the AI ecosystem as a key strategic area, TDK leverages its global network across the automotive, information and communication technology, and industrial equipment sectors to expand its business in a wide range of fields. In fiscal 2025, TDK posted total sales of USD 14.4 billion and employed about 105,000 people worldwide. ​

About Trusted Positioning 

Trusted Positioning, a TDK group company, delivers embedded software solutions that solve some of the world’s toughest positioning challenges. Based in Calgary, Canada, the team combines decades of expertise in inertial navigation, geomagnetic positioning, GNSS, and wireless technologies such as BLE and Wi-Fi. 

Trusted Positioning’s software products—TRACK, RIDE, DRIVE, AUTO, STRIDE and VENUE—provide scalable solutions for industries ranging from automotive and robotics to logistics and wearables. By fusing sensors already built into devices, Trusted Positioning enables reliable location performance both indoors and outdoors, without costly infrastructure or added hardware. With a focus on efficiency, flexibility, and commercialization at scale, Trusted Positioning helps global OEMs bring advanced positioning capabilities to market faster. 

Further information on the products can be found under https://trustedpositioning.tdk.com/stride 

Learn more about STRIDE