Introduction
This knowledge article provides an overview of MEMS-Studio, an intuitive software tool that covers everything from initial STMicroelectronics MEMS sensor evaluation to code creation.
1. MEMS-Studio overview
MEMS-Studio is a cutting edge software solution that supports the wide range of STMicroelectronics MEMS sensors and their functionalities. It combines existing STMicroelectronics MEMS sensors software tools, like Unico-GUI, Unicleo-GUI and AlgoBuilder into a single platform. MEMS-Studio can be used to evaluate sensors, to create applications using embedded software libraries designed for MEMS sensors, to generate code for STM32 microcontrollers, and to analyze MEMS sensors data and to build MLC and FSM based applications.
It is compatible with existing development kits such as ProfiMEMS, STM32 Nucleo boards, SensorTile.box PRO.
MEMS-Studio offers the following user experience:
- Sensor evaluation for motion, environmental, and infrared sensors in the MEMS portfolio
- Configuration and testing of in-sensor features such as the finite state machine (FSM), machine learning core (MLC), intelligent sensor processing unit (ISPU)
- Runtime and offline data analysis
- No-code graphical design of algorithms
2. STMicroelectronics hardware supported by MEMS-Studio
MEMS-Studio supports the following STMicroelectronics hardware:
The complete list of supported hardware is available at paragraph 2.6 hardware and firmware compatibility of UM3233.
3. Hands-on
In this hands-on section, we use the STEVAL-MKI109V3 board.
To get started, connect the STEVAL-MKI109V3 board to the PC via USB and open MEMS-Studio.
Inside the tab [Connect] choose [Serial] as the communication type, select the correct communication port to which the device is connected and click on [Connect].
When the connection is completed, MEMS-Studio recognizes which board is connected and present a list of possible devices, which you can connect to the ProfiMEMS board. To find a device, you can either scroll through the device names or search by device types (such as accelerometer, e-compass, magnetometers, environmental sensors, gyroscopes, iNEMO inertial sensors). Alternatively, type the device name inside the [Direct device search] bar.
In this case, select STEVAL-MKI197V1 (LSM6DSOX). After selecting the correct device, you are automatically switched to the [Sensor Evaluation] tab: from here, you can configure your sensor, such as selecting the scale and ODR. In this hands-on, click on the [Easy configuration] button for quick evaluation. Now, you are able to stream data from the sensor and visualize the output in real-time. You can press the [Play] button in the top-left corner and select which method to evaluate the sensors such as bar charts, line charts and fast Fourier transform (FFT).
MEMS-Studio can also be used to evaluate custom libraries through devices. As an example: Using the MEMS sensor expansion board X-NUCLEO-IKS01A3 with a STM32 Nucleo board using the datalogger firmware available from X-CUBE-MEMS1.
Figure 7: MEMS expansion board for STM32 Nucleo
Moreover, you can visualize the orientation of MEMS sensor in real time inside the [Sensor fusion] tab.
Coming back to the ProfiMEMS board STEVAL-MKI109V3, under the [Advanced Features], you can access the advanced features such as the [Pedometer], [FSM], [MLC].
Under the FSM section, you can create or load a configuration inside the [Configuration] tab.
Under the FSM section, you can evaluate the sensor in real time inside the [Testing] tab.
The MLC section is available with all the same features already present in Unico-GUI: you can load data logs, generate ARFF files, train and deploy decision trees, visualize the output of your decision tree, debugging by injecting previously recorded data logs.
Under the [Data Analysis] section, you can load and visualize all data logs in the same place.
AlgoBuilder is incorporated in MEMS-Studio, which allows you to build and to flash custom algorithms using graphical design. For example, consider a simple algorithm that graphs acceleration onto a scatter plot: Here is its graphical design.
Finally, inside the [Firmware Programming] section we can flash any device. The image below demonstrates the flash of the ProfiMEMS using the evaluation software for MEMS-Studio.
If you want further instructions on how to use MEMS-Studio, refer to the user manual UM3233 Getting started with MEMS-Studio.
Conclusion
We have briefly gone through the features of MEMS-Studio, and provided you with a hands-on use case. We encourage you to try MEMS-Studio! It's the desktop solution for a complete experience of the entire STMicroelectronics MEMS sensor portfolio.
Related links
Details are available at the following links:
- The official MEMS-Studio webpage for download and much more
- The user manual UM3233 Getting started with MEMS-Studio
- The presentation MEMS-Studio overview
- The campaign page of MEMS-Studio
