Any device that meets the hardware requirements and your own specific requirements (price, battery life, outdoor use etc.).
Typical tablets that our customers use are et al.:
ATTENTION: smatrix Windows does not work with Windows 10 S or the Surface version of Microsoft Excel!
Cable headsets:
Cordless headsets:
smatrix can also be used in environments where background noise is present. Prerequisites for this are:
smatrix (Windows) can be used with almost any Excel file. If the trial map/field plan is available as an Excel file, you can work with it. Linked cells should be avoided. Columns/cells containing more than one piece of information are also a hindrance. Therefore, make sure that each column/cell contains precisely one piece of information so that smatrix can work reliably with separate, stand-alone columns.
The vocabulary of smatrix is stored in the language-specific Headers.xml file (English: Headers_en.xml). If you want to define your own terms after an initial or new installation, copy the Headers.xml file from the folder C:\ProgramData\smatrix\templates into the folder C:\ProgramData\smatrix\data. The file can be edited there (see XML topic).
The value ranges of smatrix are stored in the language-specific Values.xml file (English: Values_en.xml) If you want to define your own value ranges after an initial or new installation, copy the Values.xml file from the folder C:\ProgramData\smatrix\templates into the folder C:\ProgramData\smatrix\data. The file can be edited there (see XML topic).
Yes, you can use words or letters as values as well as numbers and the date, but you need to teach them to smatrix first. You do this in the Values.xml file (see XML topic).
Specify the Excel columns which contain your desired trial unit numbers (e.g. plots, rows, etc.). Individual columns have to be separated by a comma (B,D,F) or enter a column range using a dash (A-C).
ID columns may only consist of numbers or number-letter-combinations. If an Excel columns contains words such as variety names, those words will be read out by smatrix, however, they cannot be used for speech navigation!
ATTENTION: The order in which the ID columns have been specified is relevant for the ID column hierarchy! If ID columns are to be used independently, use the following format: A/1, B/1, etc.
See: Does smatrix recognise the piaf identifier (1/2/3)?
After you open an Excel file with smatrix and define the criteria column range, you can define a criterion and its value range for each criteria column. To do this, first select the column by checking the box next to the column label. You can then select the desired trait from the 'Category' and 'Criterion' drop-down menus. You also need to set the value range.
If the Excel column header matches the vocabulary stored in the Headers.xml file, the respective Excel column is automatically recognised and configured (see Auto Configuration).
Yes, in the Headers.xml file you can associate each individual criterion with a value range, so when you select this criterion, the value range is also set automatically.
Add the element range="ABC" to a criterion (subject) in the Headers.xml file. ABC corresponds to the topic id of the value range as specified in the Values.xml file.
The following example links the criterion 'Phytotoxicity' with the value range '0-100':
<subject id="181" name="Phytotoxicity" range="NUMBER1"/>
<topic id="NUMBER1" name="0 - 100">
<generator type="NUMBER" from="0" to="100"/>
</topic>
If the Excel column headers match the predefined terms/criteria (more precisely: the subject name), smatrix automatically assigns these criteria to the Excel columns when a new Excel file is opened. The same applies to the headings of the identifiers (plot etc.).
From version 1.8 smatrix can detect up to five cells per columns (version 1.7: only one cell per column), meaning column headers with multiple cells are available.
Whatever the content of the Excel file, a new criteria column can be added in three ways:
1) In the 'Sheet configuration' menu, add another letter corresponding to the desired Excel column to the 'Criteria column range' field. The new column letter must be preceded by a comma to separate it.
2) by voice command: “add column before / after <criterion name>”
Example: “add column before yellow rust”
3) by voice command: “add <criterion name> before / after <criterion name>”
Example: “add brown rust before yellow rust”
If you are in the 'Sheet configuration' menu of smatrix, you can make any changes you wish to the Excel file, e.g. inserting or adding extra rows. Afterwards you need to adjust the row range in smatrix under the menu item 'Row selection'.
ATTENTION: If the structure of the Excel file is changed in 'Listen' or 'Pause' mode, smatrix will not recognise this change. Changes can therefore only be made from the 'Sheet configuration' menu of smatrix!
Yes, smatrix (Windows) recognises the structure of the piaf test results page. The identifier (1/2 or 1/2/3) or plot number can be used as an ID column. You can assign the terms "Variety", "Repetition" and/or "Treatment" to the identifier (see piaf identifiers).
This feature is currently in development for smatrix Android.
Yes, from version 1.7.1.5 the piaf identifier can be used in X/Y or X/Y/Z format. If smatrix does not recognise and assign the piaf identifier automatically, the identifier column must be entered manually under the menu item 'Mapping IDs' in the format A/2 for the identifier X/Y or A/3 for the identifier X/Y/Z. You can then select a label from the dropdown menu for each element of the identifier (X, Y, and Z).
Subsampling is activated by defining a subsample column. You can either use a separate column or, if the format is correct (see next point), an ID column. You can then set the number of subsamples per trial unit (e.g. plot) for each individual criterion in the '# Subsamples' field.
When subsampling is activated, the progress between cells changes: now all subsample measurements must be completed for one criterion before proceeding to the next criterion of the same trial unit (e.g. plot). Of course, you can still switch to any cell at any time by using voice navigation or by clicking.
The following voice commands are available additionally when using subsampling:
"Fill with <value>" fills all subsamples of the currently active criterion with the specified value.
"Fill <trial unit> with 0 / 100 / not available" fills all subsamples of the specified trial unit (e.g. plot) with 0 / 100 / not available.
smatrix also recognises the subsample column if it has the header "Sample", "Subsample" or "Sub" and the number of subsamples if it is entered in an Excel column with the header "# Subsamples" or "Subsamples" (see XML and Auto Configuration topics).
ATTENTION: the number of subsamples defined in the '# Subsamples' field must not exceed the actual number of subsample rows in the Excel file; it must be the same or lower!
Yes, besides "Prompts on/off" there is a subsampling countdown which announces after every ten subsamples how many subsamples remain for the current trial unit (e.g. plot). It also announces the fifth-to-last and last samples and confirms when all subsample measurements have been performed for the current trial unit.
Yes, you can define an individual number of subsamples for each individual criterion per trial unit (e.g. plot) in the '# Subsamples' field.
smatrix recognises the number of subsamples if it is entered in an Excel column with the header "# Subsamples" or "Subsamples" (see XML and Auto Configuration topics).
ATTENTION: the number of subsamples defined in the '# Subsamples' field must not exceed the actual number of subsample rows in the Excel file; it must be the same or lower!
All terms and value ranges used by smatrix are stored in the language-specific XML files Values_lang.xml and Headers_lang.xml. These can be found under C:\ProgramData\smatrix\templates.
ATTENTION: Never edit XML files in the templates folder. Instead, copy the required XML files from the templates folder into the folder C:\ProgramData\smatrix\data and edit these copies. smatrix first retrieves the user's customised XML files from the data folder and only then, if the data folder is empty, reverts to the XML files in the templates folder.
To edit XML files, you need to use an appropriate XML editor (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XML_editor).
We recommend the free programme NotePad++, available to download at the following link: https://notepad-plus-plus.org/downloads/
Labels for column headers are stored in the Headers_lang.xml file. Changes in this file only take effect after a restart of smatrix.
The Headers_lang.xml file is divided into five sections:
Value ranges are stored in the Values_lang.xml file. Changes in this file only take effect after a restart of smatrix.
Each individual value range is represented by a topic. The topic name corresponds to the label that appears in the dropdown menu in smatrix. These topics can contain a generator type:
Yes, with the voice command "Correction <new value>" the last entered value is replaced by the <new value> (e.g. "Correction 50" replaces the last entered value with 50).
If you use the voice command "Correction" without a new value, the cell where you last entered a value is selected. This value is not deleted but can be overwritten by entering a new value.
Alternatively, you can navigate to a cell directly (e.g. with the voice command "Back"/"Previous", by clicking the cell or by stating the trial unit and trait, e.g. "Plot 10, downy mildew") and then enter the new value.
Yes, when "Prompts" are activated ("Prompts on"), smatrix will read out the trial unit and the trait of the selected cell each time you move cells (by automatic progress, click or direct voice command).
In addition, you can make smatrix read out the trial unit and the trait of the currently selected cell at any time using the voice command "Where am I?" / "Current position".
Even if several microphones are connected to one device, smatrix only accepts the input of one microphone. This can be selected in the settings menu under 'Audio' > 'Voice input'.
If two users are to use a single instance of smatrix while completing an assessment, the best solution is for only person A to wear a headset connected to smatrix. Person A enters their own data by voice. Person B calls out their data to Person A, who repeats Person B's data into the microphone to enter it into smatrix. This takes a certain amount of discipline and it means person A has to speak a lot, so we recommend that each person completing an assessment uses their own instance of smatrix.
This can have various causes:
Make sure a headset or microphone is connected to your device/tablet. Click the Loudspeaker icon on the Windows taskbar and select the correct device. Then restart smatrix. You may need to disable the on-board microphone of your device/tablet in your Windows settings so that smatrix only uses the headset's microphone. Click on 'Sound' in the Windows Control Panel and select the 'Recording' tab of the window that opens. Right-click the on-board microphone of your device/tablet and select 'Disable'.
Make sure a headset or microphone is connected to your device/tablet. Click the Loudspeaker icon on the Windows taskbar and select the correct device. Then restart smatrix. You may need to disable the on-board microphone of your device/tablet in your Windows settings so that smatrix only uses the headset's microphone. Click on 'Sound' in the Windows Control Panel and select the 'Recording' tab of the window that opens. Right-click the on-board microphone of your device/tablet and select 'Disable'.