ARM and STMicroelectronics have teamed up with MathWorks to offer MATLAB and Simulink embedded design support for ARM Cortex-M processor-based systems.
The aim of the partnership is to allow software developers to create their algorithms in MATLAB and Simulink and then target, integrate, debug and test those models in a processor-in-the-loop (PIL) simulation.
Called Embedded Coder, it generates C code which runs on an STM32 evaluation board and the debugger of the Keil microcontroller development kit interfaces directly with Simulink, further simplifying the code integration.
Cortex-M processor
“Based on strong customer demand for MATLAB and Simulink support,we have developed the capabilities to go beyond pure Cortex-M processor support by creating additional peripheral blocks, further simplifying the PIL process,” said Michel Buffa, general manager of the microcontroller division at STMicroelectronics.
It will allow DSP-standard tools to run on Cortex-M processor-based STM32 microcontrollers.
“This initiative enables developers to easily and efficiently develop and explore numerous models before generating optimized code for their Cortex processor-based projects,” said Richard York, Director of Embedded Systems Marketing, ARM.
According to Paul Barnard, design automation marketing director, MathWorks, it is an important first step in providing a smooth design flow for engineers using Model-Based Design with MATLAB and Simulink to develop highly optimized Cortex-M processor-based systems.
A demonstration of the new capabilities will be shown at the Embedded World 2013 event in Nuremberg (26-28 February).
The Embedded Coder support is now available in beta form direct from ARM for early adopters and is planned to be made available for general download in April.