Chapter 2: Installation and Setup

This chapter will help you ensure your computer has the proper resources for the Metamorphosys tools, and guide you through the process of acquiring and setting up the software.

Tools Required For Tutorial

3) EAGLE

EAGLE (Easily Applicable Graphical Layout Editor) is an electronic design automation tool that is commonly used to create electrical circuit schematics and printed circuit board (PCB) layouts. META generates schematics and circuit board layouts that are compatible with EAGLE.

Download EAGLE version 6.5.0.

Additional Tools

Visual Studio Express

Visual Studio Express is a software development tool suite provided by Microsoft. META uses Visual Studio to compile SystemC simulations. The included IDE may also be useful for writing firmware to be included in a design.

Download Visual Studio Express by selecting the Visual C++ 2010 Express option and clicking "Install Now".

Android SDK

This optional tool is used for developing, building and deploying Android applications. The command line SDK is also bundled with the Eclipse-based Android Developer Tools (ADT), a complete IDE for these development tasks. Finally, the included Android Emulator (based on QEMU) can be used to execute Android applications which interact with SystemC peripheral models. The necessary communication bridge and SystemC simulator is included in META Core package.

OpenEMS

OpenEMS is an open-source electromagnetic (EM) field solver based on the Finite-Difference Time-Domain (FDTD) method. META uses OpenEMS for RF simulations to estimate the antenna parameters and maximum SAR.

Download OpenEMS v0.0.32 x64.

NOTE: OpenEMS must be installed under C:\openEMS to work correctly with the META tools.

FreeCAD

FreeCAD is an open-source parametric 3D CAD modeling program. META uses FreeCAD to assemble component CAD models to provide a 3D visual representation of a user's model. It is required for the CyPhy2CADPCB visualizing test benches.

Download FreeCAD v0.14 x64.

Download FreeCAD v0.14 x86.

CadQuery

CadQuery is a plugin for FreeCAD that provides a library of Python functions for the manipulation of solid geometry. These functions are used to transform the local coordinate system of a component's CAD model to the correct position and orientation in the assembly coordinate system. It is required for the CyPhy2CADPCB visualizing test benches.

Download CadQuery.

To install:

  • Download zip file above and extract contents.
  • Copy the CadQuery folder into "<FreeCAD_Install_Dir>\Mod"

NOTE: The CadQuery library must be copied into the "<FreeCAD_Install_Dir/>Mod" folder to work correctly with the META tools.


Downloads

Name Link Description
GME Installer download The modeling framework underlying the META tools. Please refer to the Installation Instructions.
META (Alpha) Installer download The META tools installer. Please refer to the Installation Instructions.
LED Tutorial Model download The model project used as part of Chapter 3: LED Tutorial
Component Library download A collection of components that can be imported into META projects.
InvertedF Antenna Example download An example project with an Inverted-F type 2.4 GHz antenna mounted onto an Ara prototype module.
LED Matrix Model download A META design project capturing a simple "LED Matrix" module. This model is based on early prototypes of the Ara platform and doesn't conform to the Ara specs provided in the MDK. This model should be used for demonstration and exploration of META tool capabilities only.
Astable Multivibrator Model download A META design project capturing a simple dual-transistor switching circuit. This model is useful for experimenting with the SPICE simulation and visualization capabilities of the META tools.
SCBus Example download A META design project capturing a simple microcontroller circuit. The model can be used to generate a hardware simulation that runs user-provided firmware. This example is designed to communicate with the SystemCTest Android app provided with the META tools.
Manufacturing Example download A META design project used to demonstrate the generation of files for submitting a design to a circuit board fabricator.