RoadTest: Matrix Creator for the Raspberry Pi
Author: gsgill112
Creation date:
Evaluation Type: Development Boards & Tools
Did you receive all parts the manufacturer stated would be included in the package?: True
What other parts do you consider comparable to this product?: Matrix Voice , ReSpeaker , Google Voice KIT
What were the biggest problems encountered?: The Cloud Integration Breaks sometimes. Documentation not up to mark.
Detailed Review:
1. Introduction
Internet of Things has taken such a pace that It is, now, even more challenging to differentiate between a Education Kits and feature rich development platform. First of all I would like to thank Element 14 and Element 14 Community to give me the opportunity to RoadTest Matrix Lab's Matrix Creator development Kit.
Jumping rt into the Roadtest Lets get through with the Unboxing.
UNBOXING OF MATRIX CREATOR AND RASPBERRY PI 3
2. About the Kits
The kit has the Following modules, One in Blue are on the Matrix Creator and In Green are Features added By Raspberry Pi
| Microcontroller | Amtel Cortex-M3 ATSAM3S2 |
|---|---|
| FPGA | Xilinx Spartan 6 XC6SLX4 |
| Microphone Array | 8 MEMS MP34DB02 audio sensor digital microphones |
| IMU | ST LSM9DS1 3D accelerometer, 3D gyroscope, 3d magnetometer |
| Temperature / Humidity | ST HTS221 capacitive digital sensor for relative humidity and temperature |
| Altitude Sensor | NXP MPL3115A2 precision pressure sensor with altimetry |
| zigbee | Silicon Labs EM358X - 2.4 GHz IEEE 802.15.4 |
| Z-Wave | Sigma Designs ZM5202 - 868/908/921 MHz |
| IR Reciever | Vishay TSOP573 - carrier 38.0 kHz |
| IR Blaster | 2 Vishay LEDs (front and bottom), 930nm, 100mA, 120° viewing angle |
| Ultraviolet Sensor | Vishay VEML6070 UV light sensor |
| NFC | NXP PN512 NFC reader |
| Everloop | 35 RGBW LEDS |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 4.1 (Classic and Smart) |
| WiFi | WiFi b/g/n/ac |
| Graphics | 400 MHz VideoCore IV |
| Processor | BCM2837 (1.2GHz Quad Core A53 with ARMv8 Instruction set )** |
Assembling the Kit :-
| {gallery} Matrix Creator RoadTest |
|---|
SD Card, I Didn't Find this inside the RPi Package |
RPi 3 : Front |
RPi 3 : Back |
Matrix Creator Front (With Camera Camera Attachment Later in review) |
Matrix Creator Rear (With Camera Camera Attachment Later in review) |
|
Thank You Element 14 For this Lovely Case |
My Pi UPS Hat : Front (Ordered from Banggood.com) |
My Pi UPS Hat : Rear (Ordered from Banggood.com) |
Batteries to be used with the Pi UPS Hat. NOTE : The blue-green one are standard Cells recycled from old UPS Battery |
I Got this 2500mAh Battery With the Pi UPS HAT |
Some Essential Connectors |
Headers for Proper Pi HAT Spacing |
ASSEMBLY BEGINS : First Add the SD CARD |
Add the Mounting Screws |
Connect the 40 Pin Header |
Connect the Pi Cam Flex Cable |
Adding the Base of the Case |
Completing the case |
Getting the Camera Cable Out of UPS HAT |
Fixing the UPS HAT On Pi |
So Far So Good |
Connecting the Camera connector |
Adding Final Spacers and securing the Pi UPS HAT To Pi |
Assembly Completed |
Going though the Side Views |
Going though the Side Views |
Going though the Side Views |
Now Just Connect the HDMI and Switch the UPS HAT ON 
Adding Camera to the KIT :
| {gallery} Camera Complications |
|---|
Life Saver : As no screws were provided, Using double side tape to my rescue. |
Finally Got the Camera Stuck |
BEAUTY |
Connections (UPS HAT IS IN BETWEEN) |
Setup : Next to Original Pi |
NOTE :: I would request Matrix to provide Camera Mounting Screws with the Kit as these does not come with the Pi cam and its really difficult to find one of that size !!
3. Proper Software Installation Instructions
Firstly, I set up to find a 8GB memory card as well as at least 2 amp power supply adapter.
Now follow this link One issue I faced is that Matrix uses the latest version on Node and npm and I had difficulty getting those rt the first time.
So, here's the trick that will work 100%, First install the MOS not the Matrix CLI (As per their documentation) this will insure you download the node and npm versions that matrix uses. Then install the Command line version and Voila it will install like a charm.
It takes about 2 hours getting the initial setup done so please do grab a beer
BEWARE sometimes the device behaves funny and somehow their arrives an authentication problem and you will not be able to connect to the matrix servers and mod won't start up 
in such case De-Register the device and Re-Do the registration process with the Secret key. That seams to solve the issue.
4. Example Applications
## Unfortunately, during testing and trying stuff, I broke by 8GB Class 4 SD CARD and was back to square 1 So I will update with the process of installation once again.
But before that Let me give you what all I Have tried.
1. Using the Board is like super simple With the issue that it takes a good amount of time sending the data to the matrix servers and getting them back.
2. I was successful in getting Google Assistant up and running, I used this link
3. I was successful in running few demo apps included on the Matrix App Store.
4. I was able to make my first app and see colours going ZooM.
Few things I faced issues with.
1. Though I have a Raspberry Pi Camera , but even after 1week trying I was not able to get the mos-eye working properly: PROGRESS - I was able to get the sensor info nothing else
2. Though basic app programming using the js libraries is pretty simple, but I was still not able to get Widget functionality working
Things I will Try
1. Beam-forming libraries Open source as well as the DOA Also that Matrix is working on.
2. Alexa Setup
3. Communications Setup
4. I have downloaded the Xylinx IDE for the FPGA , Will update in future once I teach myself basics of VHDL 
5. Adding a UPS
TO provide a battery backup source, I bought this Pi UPS Hat from banggood. I still have to test out reading the battery information using I2C Bus but that is a pretty useful feature.
The Hat has a limitation of providing a max of about 1.4 Amps and thus as I try powering my beefy 7 Inch Cap LCD display via this setup I can hear those surface mount caps making some noise 
The Matrix Creator works just absolutely fine and as the setup consumes about 1Amp so it should last for about 20+ hours in IDEAL conditions.
5. Power
As using my USB Tester you can see about 0.67 A at 5.1 V so not to bad. (MIND that these values includes RPi also without any load on the CPU, I.e. Raspberry pi is in ideal state)
6. Conclusion
Finally, I would like to say, This is a Real Deal Board, with so much in that price, it is a steal. But, It is still nascent and you have to manage with few glitches here and there.
Further if you are using the whole package of MOS you will have to do that using their servers that pretty much make you use their servers for their libraries and services.
The Matrix community is still immature with almost half of questions unanswered !! (THATS ONE HELL OF HURDLE IN DESIGNING )
So In summary I would recommend this product to developers with some development experience, it is a Feature rich Awesome Board, but in this stage not a Novice (Like Arduino) deal.
Thanks and Regards,
GS GILL
Top Comments
Hi GS Gill,
Thank you for taking the time to create a comprehensive RoadTest review of the MATRIX Creator. We love seeing stories of how people use our devices and we thought your review was great.
We just…
Hi Mark,
Firstly, I did try a lot of things and I (Till NOW) conclude that you cannot Shutdown the device by a command, you do have to remove the plug brutally.
Though I usually do it that once the power…
It is always great to see a manufacturer taking a proactive approach regarding their product reviews including constantly evolving their support material. Well done matrixlabs
Rod