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.
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.
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".
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 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.
NOTE: OpenEMS must be installed under C:\openEMS
to work correctly with the META tools.
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.
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.
To install:
NOTE: The CadQuery library must be copied into the "<FreeCAD_Install_Dir/>Mod" folder to work correctly with the META tools.
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. |