def matlab_compatible(name):
    """ make a channel name compatible with Matlab variable naming

    Parameters
    ----------
    name : str
        channel name

    Returns
    -------
    compatible_name : str
        channel name compatible with Matlab

    """

    compatible_name = [ch if ch in ALLOWED_MATLAB_CHARS else "_" for ch in name]
    compatible_name = "".join(compatible_name)

    if compatible_name[0] not in string.ascii_letters:
        compatible_name = "M_" + compatible_name

    # max variable name is 63 and 3 chars are reserved
    # for get_unique_name in case of multiple channel name occurence
    return compatible_name[:60]
make a channel name compatible with Matlab variable naming

    Parameters
    ----------
    name : str
        channel name

    Returns
    -------
    compatible_name : str
        channel name compatible with Matlab