Welcome to the Summer edition of E-News
Flowcode 5 for ARM and AVR/Arduino
We are pleased to announce that Flowcode V5 for ARM and AVR/Arduino will be available to download from Monday 2nd July.
Flowcode
V5 for AVR/Arduino will also now natively support Arduino devices.
Arduino devices can be selected as a target from within Flowcode and
programmed directly with the command line Arduino programming tool. The
inclusion of these devices has warranted a change in the name to
Flowcode v5 for AVR/Arduino. The Xmega range of microcontrollers are also now supported by Flowcode making this a significant step forward from V4.
The pricing structure will be in line with the PIC edition of V5
and further information about all prices, supported chips and new
features are available in the Flowcode V5 datasheet.
The release on the 2nd July will be download only and hard copies will be available in 3 months time.
Click here to visit the Flowcode webpage from there you can download a FREE version of Flowcode.
Graphical Displays Article
Following the recent release of our range of graphical displays, one of our technical team has written an article outlining how the Picaso and Goldelox display modules can be used to access multimedia files on an SD card.
Click here to access the article and be sure to use the forum to let us know how you get on.
Our brand new range of MIAC expansion modules will also be available from our website and distributors on 2nd July. The expansion modules will add a great deal of functionality to the existing MIAC unit bringing advanced wired and wireless communication technology to the system. The range is now an attractive prospect for all control systems.
Currently we are waiting on stock for the expansion modules, but we are accepting pre-orders and will be able to ship in about 3-4 weeks time.
Full details on the functionality of each module can be found in the MIAC datasheet on page 9. Modules that will be available are as follows;
| Basic Expansion Module | MI1493 | £90.00 |
| Advanced Expansion Module | MI3486 | £115.00 |
| Serial Expansion Module | MI8447 | £120.00 |
| ZigBee Coordinator Expansion Module | MI3842C | £160.00 |
| ZigBee Router Expansion Module | MI3842R | £160.00 |
| Bluetooth Expansion Module | MI4855 | £170.00 |
| GPS Expansion Module | MI8582 | £175.00 |
Further to this, GSM and Industrial Communication expansion modules will be released later in the year.
Watch our MIAC expansion module videos to learn more about their capabilities.
An Introduction to the MIAC Expansion Modules
MIAC Expansion Modules Project Examples
Plus two support videos highlighting wiring and using the system in Flowcode:
Using the MIAC System in Flowcode
Wiring your MIAC System
Control System Article
As the MIAC expansion modules have now enhanced the industrial functionality of the contol units, Sean in our technical team has written an article outlining how MIACs can be used together for distributed control and datalogging with industrial systems, using a mini hydro generator as an example.
Click here to read the article.
Matrix products coming soon:
Airways Range for Teaching Pneumatics
Matrix is the proud new owner of Airways having taken the pneumatics range over from Economatics earlier this year.
Like our other educational platforms, Airways is a range of 
products that simplifies the process of teaching and learning
about pneumatic systems. The Airways range consists
of around 100 separate rugged pneumatic components
that mount onto a stable aluminium platform.
Components are clearly marked with the appropriate
pneumatic or electrical symbol. Students take the rugged
components, mount them to the platform using plastic
‘t’ bolts, and connect the components together with nylon tubing
to build working pneumatic circuits. They then use the curriculum
provided to carry out experiments in pneumatic and electronic control.
The airways range will be appearing on our website soon.
Meanwhile click here to view the airways datasheet for a sneak preview!
Raspberry Pi - E-blocks Interface
Raspberry Pi has been described as; ' A credit-card sized computer that plugs into your TV and a keyboard. It can be used for many of the things that your desktop PC does, like spreadsheets, word-processing and games. It also plays high-definition video.'
Raspberry Pi hopes to revolutionise the way computer science is taught in schools. We are currently working on an interface board that will allow you to use two E-blocks boards with the Raspberry Pi, enhancing the functionality and the teaching potential for students and anyone else interested in this developing technology.
sales@matrixmultimedia.co.uk
