Main Content

Add Support for BeagleBone Black Hardware

You can add support for BeagleBone® Black hardware to the Embedded Coder® product by installing the Embedded Coder Support Package for BeagleBone Black Hardware.

Installation puts the following items on your host computer:

  • Third-party software development tools

  • Simulink® blocks

  • Examples

When you complete this installation, you can use Simulink models to build, load, and run applications in the Linux® environment on the ARM® Cortex®-A processor on the BeagleBone Black hardware.

Set Up the Hardware

Before installing the support package, connect to the BeagleBone Black hardware and install required drivers on your host computer.

  1. Connect the BeagleBone Black hardware to your host computer using the USB cable.

    This connection supplies power to the board, illuminating its LEDs and starting the Linux operating system.

  2. In Microsoft® Windows®, under Computer + Devices with Removable Storage, open the device for the BeagleBone Black hardware. For example, double-click boot (G:) in the following illustration.

  3. Double-click START.htm to open the “Step-by-Step Quick-Start” instructions on the BeagleBone Black hardware.

  4. Complete “Step #2: Install drivers” to install drivers for Microsoft Windows.

  5. Install the support package as described in Install, Update, or Uninstall Support Package.

Install, Update, or Uninstall Support Package

Install Support Package

  1. On the MATLAB® Home tab, in the Environment section, select Add-Ons > Get Hardware Support Packages.

    Use the Add-Ons pull down menu to Get Hardware Support Packages.

  2. In the Add-On Explorer window, click the support package and then click Install.

Update Support Package

On the MATLAB Home tab, in the Resources section, select Help > Check for Updates.

Uninstall Support Package

  1. On the MATLAB Home tab, in the Environment section, click Add-Ons > Manage Add-Ons.

  2. In the Add-On Manager window, find and click the support package, and then click Uninstall.

Complete Setup Tasks

Support Package Installer helps you set up communications with the BeagleBone Hardware and updates the firmware on the board.

  1. If you clicked Setup Later at the end of the Add-On Manager installation process, you can restart hardware setup process.

  2. On the MATLAB Home tab, in the Environment section, click Add-Ons > Manage Add-Ons. When the Add-On Manager opens, click Setup

  3. When you reach the Set up support package screen, select BeagleBone Black (Embedded Coder).

    Note

    If BeagleBone Black (Embedded Coder) does not appear in the list of options, install or reinstall the Embedded Coder Support Package for BeagleBone Black Hardware.

  4. If you completed the steps in Set Up the Hardware, select I have a BeagleBone Black hardware up and running.

    If you did not complete the steps in Set Up the Hardware, select I am unboxing a new BeagleBone Black hardware. Support Package Installer shows you how to connect the board to your host computer. Support Package Installer installs device drivers for the board on your host computer.

  5. Confirm that the board is connected to the host computer by a USB cable.

    If a USB cable is not available, and the board connects to the host computer over a network connection, select No. Then enter the IP address of the board.

    To get the IP address of the board, see Get IP Address of BeagleBone Black Board.

  6. Update the firmware on the board.

  7. When the firmware update process is complete, Support Package Installer can show you the examples.