Shimmer MATLAB API Transitions Away from RealTerm
As part of our ongoing efforts to modernize and streamline the Shimmer software ecosystem, we’re transitioning the Shimmer MATLAB API away from reliance on RealTerm, the long-standing serial communication utility that has served our community for many years.
Why Move Away from RealTerm?
While RealTerm has been a reliable tool for serial port communication, it has become increasingly outdated, with limited maintenance and compatibility issues on newer systems. As MATLAB continues to evolve, ensuring long-term stability, performance, and cross-platform support requires a more robust and sustainable backend.
Introducing the Shimmer Java Android API
To replace RealTerm, the MATLAB API now integrates with our Shimmer Java Android API — the same core communication layer used in Consensys and adopted by several OEM partners.
This API leverages JSSC (Java Simple Serial Connector), a modern and actively maintained library that enables efficient serial port communication. JSSC supports multiple operating systems, which means that — in theory — it should now be technically feasible to use the Shimmer MATLAB API on different operating systems (provided there are no other OS-specific dependencies).
What This Means for Developers
ll RealTerm-dependent code has been moved to a new Legacy folder. Please note that this legacy code will no longer be maintained.
In addition, the new Shimmer MATLAB API introduces support for Shimmer3R, our latest generation hardware platform. The legacy RealTerm-based code does not support Shimmer3R.
We encourage developers to explore the latest release:
Shimmer MATLAB API v3.0.0
This version implements the new JSSC-based communication layer and represents a major step toward a more unified, stable, and maintainable Shimmer software stack.
Next Steps
We’re targeting a full merge of v3.0.0 into the main development branch within the next three months. In the meantime, we invite users to test the new version, share feedback, and help shape the next generation of Shimmer MATLAB tools.
