TDK Vibrotactor MATLAB Interface

This project provides a MATLAB MEX-based interface to control TDK vibrotactors using the tactor MEX function. The interface supports both character-based and integer-based commands, enabling efficient communication with TDK devices.

Installation

Requirements

• MATLAB R2024b or later
• Microsoft Visual C++ Compiler (e.g., MSVC 2022)
• TDK API files, including required .dll and .lib files

Setup Steps

1. Place the +tdk folder in your MATLAB path. The best way is by cloning from Git and adding it to your project as a submodule:

   cd your_project_folder
   git submodule add [email protected]:Neuro-Mechatronics-Interfaces/matlab_package__tdk.git +tdk

2. From MATLAB, run tdk.install to compile the MEX file:

   cd your_project_folder;
   tdk.install();

   Use tdk.install(true) to force recompilation if needed.
3. Basically all functions need the deviceID returned by tdk.open():

   deviceID = tdk.open(); 

   You should use tdk.close(); at the end of a script to ensure that the device connection is closed.
   Multiple calls to tdk.open() (e.g. while device is already open) should not disrupt an existing connection, but if a connection already exists the interface assumes that deviceID is 0 and returns that default value.

Now, you can use the tactor MEX function or the helper package functions in +tdk as explained below.

MATLAB Package Functions

The package provides the following high-level functions for ease of use:

tdk.open

Status: Working
Opens the first available device and initializes the TDK library.

• Usage:

  deviceID = tdk.open();

• Output:
  • deviceID: Integer identifier for the connected device.

---

tdk.close

Status: Working
Closes the connection to the device and shuts down the library.

• Usage:

  tdk.close();

---

tdk.pulse

Status: Working
Pulses the connected tactor for a specified duration.

• Usage:

  tdk.pulse(deviceID, duration);

• Parameters:
  • deviceID: Integer identifier for the connected device.
  • duration: Duration of the pulse in milliseconds (1-2500).

---

tdk.setGain

Status: Working
Sets the gain (intensity) of the connected tactor.

• Usage:

  tdk.setGain(deviceID, gain);

• Parameters:
  • deviceID: Integer identifier for the connected device.
  • gain: Integer value between 1 (minimum) and 255 (maximum).

---

tdk.setFrequency

Status: Working
Sets the frequency of the connected tactor.

• Usage:

  tdk.setFrequency(deviceID, frequency);

• Parameters:
  • deviceID: Integer identifier for the connected device.
  • frequency: Integer value between 300 and 3500 Hz.

---

tdk.setFrequencyRamp

Status: Working
Applies a frequency ramp to the connected tactor.

• Usage:

  tdk.setFrequencyRamp(deviceID, startFreq, endFreq, duration);

• Parameters:
  • deviceID: Integer identifier for the connected device.
  • startFreq: Start frequency in Hz (300-3500).
  • endFreq: End frequency in Hz (300-3500).
  • duration: Duration of the ramp in milliseconds (1-2500).

---

tdk.setGainRamp

Status: Working
Applies a gain ramp to the connected tactor.

• Usage:

  tdk.setGainRamp(deviceID, startGain, endGain, duration);

• Parameters:
  • deviceID: Integer identifier for the connected device.
  • startGain: Start gain (1-255).
  • endGain: End gain (1-255).
  • duration: Duration of the ramp in milliseconds (1-2500).

---

tdk.stop

Status: Working
Stops all active tactors.

• Usage:

  tdk.stop(deviceID);

• Parameters:
  • deviceID: Integer identifier for the connected device.

---

Example Usage

Use tdk.example to install and see how to use functions in the package.

cd your_project_folder;
tdk.example;