Getting Started with Deploying a MATLAB Function on the Raspberry Pi Hardware

Prerequisites

Before you start with this example, we recommend you to complete these examples:

Required Products

Step 1: Create a MATLAB Function

1. Copy the blinkLED function and paste it in the MATLAB Editor. The function implements an algorithm to blink the ACT LED on the Raspberry Pi hardware every 0.5 seconds for 100 cycles.

Note: MATLAB functions with input or output arguments are not supported for deployment on the hardware.

function blinkLED()

% Create a Raspberry Pi object
r= raspi();

% Blink the LED for 100 cycles
for count = 1:100
    % Turn on the LED
    writeLED(r,"LED0", 1);
    % Pause for 0.5 seconds
    pause(0.5);
    % Turn off the LED
    writeLED(r,"LED0", 0);
    % Pause for 0.5 seconds
    pause(0.5);
end
end

2. Save the function as blinkLED.m to a folder to which you have write access.

Step 2: Run the MATLAB Function Using Live IO from Hardware

Before deploying the function, running the MATLAB function by using live input and output (IO) from the hardware is recommended.

Using live IO enables you to:

Run the blinkLED function by using the run command in the MATLAB Command Window. When you run the blinkLED function, MATLAB connects to the hardware and starts executing the function on the hardware. The ACT LED starts blinking every 0.5 seconds.

run blinkLED

Before proceeding, fix any errors you might have detected in this step.

Step 3: Add the Compilation Directive to the MATLAB Function

Add the %#codegen directive (or pragma) after the blinkLED function signature to indicate that you intend to deploy the MATLAB function on the hardware. Adding this directive instructs the MATLAB Code Analyzer to help you diagnose and fix violations that would result in errors during deployment.

function blinkLED() %#codegen

Step 4: Check the MATLAB Function Using Code Analyzer

The Code Analyzer checks the MATLAB function for code violations at design time, minimizing compilation errors. The code analyzer continuously checks your code as you enter it. It reports problems and recommends modifications.

Check the blinkLED function for any errors and warnings by following the steps in Check MATLAB Function Using Code Analyzer and fix them before proceeding to the next step.

The analyzer provides an indicator in the top right of the editor window. The color of the indicator helps you identify if the function has any errors or warnings.

    Color of Indicator   | Description
  _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
    Green                | Function has no errors or warnings
    Orange               | Function has warnings
    Red                  | Function has errors

In this example, the green color of the indicator specifies that the blinkLED function has no errors or warnings.

Step 5: Check the MATLAB Function for Unsupported calls

Debug the blinkLED function and ensure if all the calls in the function are supported by code generation.

To fix the unsupported function call errors, perform one of these steps:

1. Declare the function as coder.extrinsic: When you declare a function call as an extrinsic function, the code generator does not produce code for that function. It instead dispatches them to MATLAB for execution. For more information, see Use the coder.extrinsic Construct (MATLAB Coder).

2. Replace with an equivalent call supported by code generation: Replace the unsupported calls with an equivalent call that is supported by code generation. Including calls supported by code generation ensures that the function will behave the same as tested in Run the Function Using Live IO from Hardware after the deployment.

Some of the calls supported by code generation are listed here:

In this example, all the functions are supported by code generation.

Step 6: Create a Hardware Configuration Object

1. Create a hardware configuration object by using the targetHardware function in the MATLAB Command Window.

board = targetHardware('Raspberry Pi')

board =

targetHardware with properties:

            Name: 'Raspberry Pi'
   DeviceAddress: '176.93.236.232'
        Username: 'pi'
        Password: '*********'
        BuildDir: '/home/pi'
     BuildAction: 'Build, load, and run'

Note: You can deploy the blinkLED MATLAB function from MATLAB® Online™. See Connect to Raspberry Pi Hardware Board in MATLAB Online for the steps.

Create a hardware configuration object

board = targetHardware('Raspberry Pi')

board =

targetHardware with properties:

            Name: 'Raspberry Pi'
   DeviceAddress: '00000000a9f2c18c'
          Username: ''
          Password: ''
          BuildDir: '/home/matlabrpi'
   EnableRunOnBoot: 0
       BuildAction: 'Build, load, and run'
       CoderConfig: [1x1 coder.CodeConfig]

In MATLAB Online™, DeviceAddress is the SerialNumber of the hardware as displayed by raspilist.

2. Verify the DeviceAddress, Username, and Password properties listed in the output. If required, change the value of the properties by using dot notation syntax.

For example, to change the device address to 173.21.22.327, enter:

board.DeviceAddress = '173.21.22.327'

Step 7: Deploy the MATLAB Function on Hardware

Deploy the MATLAB function as a standalone executable on the hardware by using the deploy function.

deploy(board,'blinkLED')

Code generation successful: View report

The deploy function initiates code generation of the blinkLED function. At the end of code generation, MATLAB generates a code generation report. Use this report to debug the blinkLED function for any build errors and warnings in the generated code.

After successfully generating the code, the support package loads and runs the code as a standalone executable on the hardware. The executable starts blinking the ACT LED on the hardware every 0.5 seconds. The blinking continues for 100 cycles.

See Also