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MetaMorph Helps non-Engineers Design Circuits (Video)

Posted by Roblimo on from the another-step-on-the-road-toward-unskilled-labor-replacing-skilled-engineers dept.

MetaMorph grew out of Vanderbilt University’s Institute for Software Integrated Systems. The introduction video you see here explains and steps you through its basic operation. The second "bonus" video goes a little deeper into the software's function. And the transcript covers everything in both videos, so if you prefer reading to watching you aren't left out -- except for the visual design process walk-through, of course. It's all open source, and their site has free demos available, so if you want to try your hand at designing circuitry with MetaMorph, go right ahead.

21 comments

  1. Interesting by ArcadeMan · · Score: 1

    It's a kind of DIY CAD for shields/hats.

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    1. Re:Interesting by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      So easy a girl could do it!

  2. What transcript? by ItsJustAPseudonym · · Score: 1

    Link to the transcript?

    1. Re:What transcript? by ArcadeMan · · Score: 1

      There's a "Hide/Show Transcript" link/toggle below the video and the description. Why there's so much blank space before that link, I have no idea.

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    2. Re:What transcript? by ItsJustAPseudonym · · Score: 1

      Wow, there it is. I had looked all over for it, but just could not see it until you pointed it out. Thanks.

      They could have linked the word "transcript" in the summary to the transcript, but no.

  3. This already exists, it's called SPICE by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    If you're too stupid to use SPICE, you shouldn't be designing circuits anyway.

    1. Re: This already exists, it's called SPICE by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      +1

    2. Re:This already exists, it's called SPICE by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I miss the days of PSPICE in college.

    3. Re:This already exists, it's called SPICE by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Funny, I am used to hearing engineers complain that if you need to use SPICE, you shouldn't be designing circuits anyway, as anyone with the appropriate skills can do all that is needed with pencil and paper. I don't completely agree, as I've used SPICE for large circuits with subtle issues, or for parametric scans when there are tight performance or economic constraints. But I do see how plenty of people use SPICE as a crutch instead of learning a few basics that would save them far more time in the long run.

      Also, I quite well remember as a kid being able to put together logic gate circuits, rc based timing circuits, basic filters and amplifiers, and quite a few other building blocks without any need for SPICE. And things like microcontrollers have made it quite a lot easier for some projects, as you just need to know enough for communication and front ends appropriate to your project, which may involve almost no analog design.

  4. Metamorph? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Do they have a trademark on this software because I thought this referred to MetaMorph, which is a big player in scientific research?

  5. What's in a name by geoskd · · Score: 1

    Given the current state of the world, I think they need a new name. At the very least a new acronym is appropriate...

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    1. Re:What's in a name by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The ability to win arguments with the phrase, "you work for ISIS and i'm reporting it... again" is priceless.

  6. Wow. by drolli · · Score: 2

    What are you guys talking about?

    a) Tools which generate schematics from functional descriptions have been around for some time.

    b) Block-level graphical editors for devices have been around for some time

    c) The assumption that the difficult part about engineering an electronic device is drawing the final diagram, is IMHO a complete misunderstanding of the topic. The best we can get from this is the hardware equivalent of the myriad of badly written Javascript and PHP combinations of pseudo-code-moneys who believe that knowing the fundamentals of CompSci is not needed.

    1. Re:Wow. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The assumption that the difficult part about engineering an electronic device is drawing the final diagram, is IMHO a complete misunderstanding of the topic.

      Except for some projects it is. The point of stuff like this is not to replace electric engineers, by automating all circuit design. It is for certain categories of circuits wanted by the target audience that are spending their energy and time learning other topics and need a means to an end.

    2. Re:Wow. by drolli · · Score: 1

      And these are the kind of circuits i could draw when i was 7 years old.

  7. Please help put Flash down. by danceswithtrees · · Score: 1

    Given the endless stream of vulnerabilities and the treadmill of updating Flash, I decided to uninstall Flash. Given the hate that Adobe/Flash receives on Slashdot, I would imagine that a significant fraction of the Slashdot readership has uninstalled Flash (do you keep statistics on this?).

    Can you please help the web move on from the failed experiment that was Flash?

  8. I never ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ... met a morph I didn't like.

  9. fritzing by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It sounds similar to fritzing.

  10. This wasn't the metamorph I was hoping for. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lOX2yJNupfc/TuXQ494xgGI/AAAAAAAAArA/Zhk5AHbSrnE/s1600/vlcsnap-2011-12-12-03h52m24s197.jpg

  11. Calling LGBT! Got a new member for ya!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I never ... met a morph I didn't like

    You'll fit in the LGBT crowd just nicely

  12. Shoe is on the other foot. by Circlotron · · Score: 1

    I am an EE. Now I know how real programmers feel when they see my (albeit functional) efforts with Qbasic.