Feature/add simulink library block

[jwithelm]

Added a Simulink library called 'MatlabInput' which contains the block 'HebiJoystick Input'.
'HebiJoystick Input' can be used as a replacement for the 'Joystick Input' block from the
'Simulink 3D Animation' toolbox.

The Simulink block is implemented as a Level-2 MATLAB S-Function using 'HebiJoystick'.

[ennerf]

Thanks for the PR 👍

I'm not particularly familiar with Simulink and don't have access for testing at the moment. Can you provide a screenshot of what the model (in the slx?) looks like? Does it match the interface in the official toolbox?

What versions have you tested it on?

[jwithelm]

Thank you for HebiJoystick! 😄

I created the library (matlabinput_lib.slx) with Matlab/Simulink R2018b, but I also tested it with Matlab/Simulink R2022b (a test license in which I can use the original Joystick Input block from the Simulink 3D Animation toolbox). The implementation is based on a Level-2 MATLAB S-Function (hebijoyinput.m) which uses HebiJoystick.

If you directly open the library file (matlabinput_lib.slx) it looks like this:

As you can see here, the outputs and configuration masks of both blocks are identical:

I did not implement the "Adjust I/O ports according to joystick capabilities" checkbox (therefore it is permanently checked and greyed out in the configuration mask). The HebiJoystick Input block adjusts the size of its outputs to the capabilities of the joystick being used. But if a future user needs this functionality it should be straight forward to implement some logic in hebijoyinput.m.

The force-feedback function is implemented and working (at least for an XBox controller) but interestingly force-feedback does not seem to work with the original Joystick Input block as you can see here:

Also here are two side-by-side comparisons of the Axes and Buttons Outputs of both blocks:

I configured HebiJoystick Input to use a discrete sample rate of 50 Hz to prevent Simulink from calling the instance of HebiJoystick to often. I think this is also a different behavior from the original Joystick Input block (but also very easy to change in hebijoyinput.m).

As a last point, I changed the target structure of the project to achieve a better separation between the Matlab and Simulink files (If you'd like, you can view it here: https://github.com/jwithelm/MatlabInput/releases)

[ennerf]

At first glance everything looks good. I'll take a better look tomorrow and merge it in.

For what it's worth, we have internally replaced all of our joystick uses with the Mobile I/O app. It acts as a cross-platform and cross-language wireless joystick with additional support for various sensors like IMU/GPS and AR tracking. Maybe that's useful for you as well.

Here is an older example using the MATLAB API: Mobile I/O - ARKit & Magnetometer Demo. It supports up to 1KHz async sampling, async logging, and comes with visual debugging toos like Scope.

[ennerf]

merged and released it. thanks again