Desciription¶

Scilab is a freeware alternative to MATLAB. For low-cost data acquisition and device control a nice Arduino toolbox is available.

This site presents a Mbed port which allows to use Mbed boards (equipped with Arduino header) rather than Arduino to import real time data into Scilab and to control real equipment witch Scilab.

Installation¶

• Install Scilab to your PC, if not done yet.
• Launch Scilab and install the Arduino toolbox by executing the following command from the Scilab console:

--> atomsInstall("arduino")

Controlling Mbed's digital output from Scilab¶

• In Xcos open examples/Arduino1.zcos

• Double click on the Board setup block and replace the serial port number with mbed's actual virtual serial port number.

• Double click on the Digital WRITE block and set Digital Pin to 13 (D13 is connected to LED1).

• Start simulation and LED1 on the Mbed board should start blinking.

Reading and displaying Mbed's analog input¶

• In Xcos open examples/Arduino2.zcos

• Double click on the Board setup block and replace the serial port number with mbed's actual virtual serial port number.

• Double click on the Analog READ block and set Analog Pin to 2.

• Start simulation and a graph should appear showing the analog signal measured on Mbed's pin A2.

NOTE: Currently, there is bug in the toolbox ARDUINO_ANALOG_READ_sim function (I have reported to Scilab) so the analog readings are not correct.

PID controller¶

• In Xcos open examples/Arduino9.zcos