Schematic Capture and SPICE on an iPad?

[daniel_payne]

For two years now we've marveled at how fast the iPad market for tablets has grown, especially for consumers but what about the Electrical Engineer?

I just read about this guy who wrote a schematic capture and SPICE simulator for use on the iPad, sounds very fun.



My first impression is that this is another engineering toy, not really useful for real projects.

What do you think, is the serious field of EDA ready for tablet-based tools for the front end design process?

Personally, I am so fast and accurate with a mouse that using my fingers to make connections with wires and trying to get .1mm accuracy just seem untenable.

[daniel_payne]

Today I also discovered that support for BSIM3 and BSIM4 models is under development stay tuned for more details.

[simguru]

Maybe you just need a Verilog-AMS for your iPad then you can use the open source models for the BSIMs. I ported my Verilog-AMS and ParC parser to Apple a while back if anyone wants to get a head start.

Given that tablets are usually a Gig or so of DRAM and 16G of flash, and Spice was developed decades ago before machines were that powerful (not to mention most schematics systems), it's not really much of a technical challenge to port this stuff. A simple stylus will probably fix the precision problem. So yep, perfectly good for a front-end design entry system.

[ESP]

Hello, I am totally biased here because I am the author of Spicy, but if I can put in my two cents: Just a note that the issue with being able to control positioning with your fingers is simply a matter of how user-friendly the interface is ... for example, when I designed this control in Spicy, I made the position (of wires, components, etc) move 1 grid point for every two your finger moves ... this makes it easy to position things without having to actually have the same precision physically ... so i think this is a non-issue ... of course only users can provide real feedback, and I can always adjust it if needed, or if other see this as an issue, but so far noone has! ... Also I wanted to mention that there are a few reasons why Spicy is very useful, beyond the obvious (being able to create and save schematics on the go with your ipad is a great thing) .. I am not just boasting here, but i think these tools are really powerful ... keep in mind, before Spicy was popular, I created it out of love for programming, and out of a real need, that i wanted to have this software myself ... it did not start as a business, but in fact now i find people actually want it as well ... i had no idea it would take off like this .. in any case .. i wanted to mention:

Spicy has a few unique features that make it very powerful (if I may):

(1) you can upload your own models using the Spice Model Upload service here: Spicy Schematic Capture Upload Spice Models © 2011 iSchematics.com
All the following are supported:

MOS1, MOS2, MOS3, MOS6, MOS9, BSIM1, BSIM2, BSIM3v0, BSIM3v1, BSIM3v32, BSIM4, BSIM4v2, BSIM4v3, BSIM4v4. B4SOI
Once you upload them, they are immediately available for use in the app on the ipad ...

(2) The Spicy Schematics Online Circuit Library:

Spicy Schematic Capture Online Circuit Library © 2011 iSchematics.com
This is accessible in the app, and allows you to upload your circuits ... and anyone can download them into their ipad from within the app (note: circuits are in encrypted format, and either public or private (with optional password))

(3) With one-click sharing, you can email circuits and netlists to yourself or others (which they can import easily)

(4) With the subcircuit part creator new in latest version, you can create any circuit by uploading a subcircuit model and creating the subcircuit part within the app ... this allows for much greater flexibility ... if you want, you can even create your subcircuit model in the notepad app as text, upload it, then simply make your circuit as one subcircuit part in spicy and use it to simulate ... you have many options

Otherwise you have the normal operations you would expect ....

Sorry for the slightly biased opinion here, but I think once you try it you will love it .. note that there is a free version available now which will allow you create schematics and download from the library ... and an updated free version coming which will allow up to 2 saved files (permanently) and up to 15 netlisting/simulation trials so you can try it out ..

Also to Daniel, i would be happy to give you a free copy of the full version via an itunes coupon code if you like: just fill out this form as if you are a professor and i will send you one: Spicy Schematic Capture Evaluation (by the way, professors can get a free copy!)

Homepage: Spicy Schematic Capture Home © 2011 iSchematics.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SpicySchematics
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/SpicySchematics
Google Groups: http://groups.google.com/group/spicy-schematics
LinkedIn: Spicy Schematics and Simulation for iPad & iPhone | LinkedIn

[ESP]

Oh I almost forgot .. I submitted a Spice Simulator for iphone to the app store! .. it will be available soon !

Spice Simulation for iPhone© 2012 iSchematics.com

It is a simple utility, but will allow you to do netlist entry and simulation from your iphone! ... (Awesome)

[daniel_payne]

ESP,

Thanks for all the info, maybe you are at the forefront of tablet-based EDA tools with Spicy.

[ESP]

That is the plan, in fact I am committed to helping Spicy to be the defacto standard for tablet based circuit design ... it is surely going to be prevelant in the future, and with tablet-enabled classrooms popping up I see Spicy in the classroom as a powerful learning aid as well. Stay tuned!

[SunnyLining]

My first impression is that this is another engineering toy, not really useful for real projects.

I don't know...It's amazing how much work can be done with the most rudimentary EDA system. The less featureful the tool set, the more resourceful the designer must be. We'll probably see the first PCB design credit in months (if it hasn't been done already) and the first IC design credit in a year or three.

I glanced at the documentation and what leaves me curious is the output text file format (EDIF? Its own brew?) To hit broader appeal it should export to an exchange format that can be imported by more standard industry tools. Also, the spice netlist output looked HSPICEy to me. With a little scripting, that can work anywhere.

Personally, I'd love to see an Android version for when I get my first big boy phone and my first little toy computer :-D

Beyond that, I eagerly await the first tablet layout tool. Tablet multitouch interfaces seem like a natural for layout.

[ESP]

Oh you may be right ... actually older versions used to output in hspice format, but i later changed to spice format when i implemented simulation .. what you saw in the documentation was probably a remnant of that, although i think the doc was explaining something else unrelated (regarding usage of port parts maybe) .. i will check that ... currently the netlist export is spice format ... as you said though, conversion to hspice format is a simple tweak of ordering of parameters, etc ... i should probably add the option to export in multiple formats, it would be easy enough ... thank you.

[ESP]

FYI Spicy Schematics and Simulation Version 2.0.3 (free and full) is now available on the app store! This version contains the following changes, most notably, the addition of the custom plotting features now included in the main simulation window ... Download today! (ischematics.com)

- added custom plot features
- fixed IS,VS,INP,OUTP rotation
- refresh file list after file delete
- reload news section if internet back on
- gui enhancements