MATLAB was originally developed to be a "matrix laboratory," written to provide easy access to matrix software developed by the LINPACK and EISPACK projects. Since then, the software has evolved into an interactive system and programming language for general scientific and technical computation and visualization. The basic MATLAB data element is a matrix. MATLAB commands are expressed n a form very similar to that used in mathematics and engineering. For instance, b = A x, where A, b, and x are matrices, is written b = A * x . To solve for x in terms of A and b, write x = A\b . There is no need to program matrix operations explicitly like multiplication or inversion. Solving problems in MATLAB is, therefore, generally much quicker than programming in a high-level language such as C or FORTRAN. There are hundreds of built-in functions that come with the basic MATLAB and there are optional "toolboxes" of functions for specific purposes such as Controls, Signal Processing, and Optimization. Most of the functions in MATLAB and the Toolboxes are written in the MATLAB language and the source code is readable. There are two basic versions of the software, the professional version, and the student edition. The student edition is distributed by Prentice-Hall, the professional version is distributed by The MathWorks, Inc. Send an email to info@mathworks.com or call 508-65-pi (508-653-1415) for more information.
What is SIMULINK?
SIMULINK is an interactive system for the nonlinear simulation of dynamic systems. It is a graphical, mouse-driven program that allows systems to be modeled by drawing a block diagram on the screen. It can handle linear, nonlinear, continuous-time, discrete-time, multivariable, and multirate systems. SIMULINK runs on workstations using X-Windows, under Microsoft Windows on the PC, and on the Macintosh. It takes full advantage of windowing technology, including pull-down windows and mouse interactions. SIMULINK is fully integrated with MATLAB, and, together with MATLAB and the Control System Toolbox, forms a complete control system design and analysis environment.
On what machines is MATLAB available?
MATLAB is available on machines ranging from the PC to the Cray. The list includes PC, Macintosh, and NEC personal computers, Sun, DEC, HP, IBM, and SGI workstations, VAX minicomputers, and Convex and Cray supercomputers.
What was first: the company MathWorks or the product MATLAB?
MATLAB was first. The MathWorks, Inc. was founded in 1984 to develop and market MATLAB.
What is the history of MATLAB?
In the mid-1970s, Cleve Moler and several colleagues developed the FORTRAN subroutine libraries called LINPACK and EISPACK under a grant from the National Science Foundation. LINPACK is a collection of FORTRAN subroutines for solving linear equations, while EISPACK contains subroutines for solving eigenvalue problems. Together, LINPACK and EISPACK represent the state of the art software for matrix computation. In the late 1970s, Cleve, who was then chairman of the computer science department at the University of New Mexico
What is the charter for the USENET Newsgroup comp.soft-sys.matlab?
The newsgroup comp.soft-sys.matlab is a forum for discussing issues related to the use of MATLAB, the scientific calculation and visualization package from The MathWorks Inc.
Appropriate discussion in the group will include both general MATLAB issues and platform-specific questions, and discussions comparing MATLAB to other systems. Are there any software archives?
The MathWorks maintains an archive on the anonymous ftp server ftp.mathworks.com [144.212.100.10]. This site contains a "best of" copy of the NETLIB archive as well as other user-contributed, and MathWorks-contributed software and documentation. If you are interested in submitting software to the archive, get the file /README.incoming on the ftp site or send email to: drea@mathworks.com.
Are there any publications related to MATLAB?
Yes, The MathWorks Inc. publishes a quarterly newsletter that gives information on products (new versions, releases, toolboxes), the MATLAB user group, MATLAB short courses, related texts etc. There is also a monthly email digest that contains annoncements, Q &A requests from users, news about our Internet services, etc. To subscribe to the newsletter, send email to subscribe@mathworks.com (Be sure to include your address adn your site identification/license number. To find out your site id, type "ver" at the MATLAB prompt.), or just type subscribe at your MATLAB prompt.
What toolboxes are currently available from The MathWorks?
* Control System Toolbox. This is a toolbox for control system design and analysis. It supports transfer function and state-space forms (continuous/discrete time, frequency domain), as well as functions for step, impulse, and arbitrary input responses. Functions for Bode, Nyquist, Nichols plots, design with root-locus, pole-placement, and LQR optimal control are also included.
* Image Processing Toolbox. The Image Processing Toolbox builds on MATLAB's numeric, signal processing, and visualization capabilities to provide a comprehensive system for image processing and algorithm development. * MMLE3 Identification Toolbox. The MMLE3 Identification Toolbox is a specialized toolbox for use with MATLAB and the Control System Toolbox for the estimation of continuous-time state-space models from observed input-output data.
* Model Predictive Control Toolbox. The Model Predictive Control Toolbox is especially useful for applications involving constraints on the manipulated and/or controlled variables. For unconstrained problems, model predictive control is closely related to linear quadratic optimal control, but includes modeling and tuning options that simplify the design procedure.
* Mu-Analysis and Synthesis Toolbox. The Mu-Analysis and Synthesis Toolbox contains specialized tools for the analysis and design of robust, linear control systems, extending MATLAB to provide additional application-specific capabilities.
* Nonlinear Control Design. This toolbox provides a Graphical User Interface to assist in time-domain-based control design. With this toolbox, you can tune parameters within a nonlinear SIMULINK model to meet time-domain performance requirements. You can view the progress of an optimization while it is running. Optimization routines have been taken from the Optimization Toolbox.
* Neural Network Toolbox. This is a toolbox for designing and simulating neural networks and supports implementation of the perceptron learning rule, the Widrow-Hoff rule, and several variations of the backpropagation rule. Transfer functions included are hard limit, linear, logistic, and hypertangent sigmoid.
* Optimization Toolbox. This is a toolbox for linear and nonlinear optimization. It supports unconstrained and constrained minimization, minimax, nonlinear least squares, multi-objective, semi-infinite optimization, linear programming, quadratic programming, and the solution of nonlinear equations.
* Robust Control Toolbox. This is a toolbox for robust control system design and supports LQG/loop transfer recovery, H2, H0, and mu- control synthesis, singular value frequency response, and model reduction.
* Signal Processing Toolbox. This is a toolbox for digital signal processing (time series analysis). It includes functions for the design and analysis of digital filters, like Butterworth, Elliptic, and Parks-McClellan, and for FFT analysis (power spectrum estimation). It also includes some two-dimensional signal processing capabilities.
* Spline Toolbox. This is a toolbox for working with splines and is typically used for curve fitting, solution of function equations, and functional approximation.
* Statistics Toolbox. The Statistics Toolbox builds on the computational and graphics capabilities of MATLAB to provide: 1) statistical data analysis, modeling, and
* Symbolic Math Toolbox. The Symbolic Math Toolbox contains functions for symbolic algebra, exact linear algebra, variable precision arithmetic, equation solving, and special mathematical functions. Its underlying computational engine is the kernel of Maple. The Extended Symbolic Math Toolbox augments the functionality to include Maple programming features and specialized libraries.
* System Identification Toolbox. This is a toolbox for parametric modeling. Identified models are in transfer function form (either z transform or
* Chemometrics Toolbox. This toolbox contains a library of functions that allows you to analyze data based on chemometrics methods including multiple linear regression, classical least squares, inverse least squares, Q-matrix, factor based methods, principle component regression, and partial least squares in latent variables. There are also useful functions for plotting data.
* Frequency Domain System Identification Toolbox. This toolbox contains specialized tools for identifying linear dynamic systems from measurements of the system's excitation and response. Some of the identification procedures include excitation signal design, parameter estimation, graphical presentation of results, and model verification.
* Hi-Spec [tm] Toolbox. The Hi-Spec [tm ] Toolbox, a Partner Series Toolbox, was created by Jerry Mendel, C.L. (Max) Nikias, and Ananthram Swami. The Hi-Spec Toolbox is a collection of MATLAB routines whose primary features are functions for:
* Higher-order spectrum estimation either by conventional or parametric approaches
* Magnitude and phase retrieval
* Adaptive linear prediction
* Harmonic retrieval and quadratic phase coupling
* Time-delay estimation and array signal processing
Toolkits are also available from The Mathworks, Inc. Toolkits are colections of M-files associated with books. These are available from the publisher or from ftp.mathworks.com in /pub/books .
* Control of Spacecraft and Aircraft Toolkit. This is a package of MATLAB programs to demonstrate the concepts discussed in the text "Control of Spacecraft and Aircraft," by Arthur E. Bryson. (1994)
* Signal Processing Examples Toolkit. This is a package of MATLAB programs to demonstrate the concepts discussed in the text "Computer-Based Exercises for Signal Processing Using MATLAB," by C. Sidney Burrus, James H. McClellan, Alan V. Oppenheim, Thomas W. Parks, Ronald W. Schafe, and Hans Schuessler. (1994) Prentice Hall.
* Delta Toolkit. This is a toolkit for analysis using the delta transform, an approach to unifying continuous and discrete systems theory without use of the z transform. It is available free to purchasers of "Digital Control and Estimation: A Unified Approach," by Graham Goodwin and Rick Middleton.
* Numerical Methods for Physics Toolkit. This is a toolkit for which demonstrates the concepts discussed in the text "Numerical Methods for Physics Using MATLAB," by Alejandro Garcia. (1994) Prentice Hall. It is available free to purchasers of this text.
* Numerical Methods for Mathematics, Science and Engineering Toolkit. This is a toolkit for which demonstrates the concepts discussed in the text "Numerical Methods for Mathematics, Science and Engineering, Second Edition," by John H. Matthews. (1994) Prentice Hall. It is available free to purchasers of this text.
* Introduction to Linear Algebra Toolkit. This is a package of MATLAB programs to use with MATLAB in learning and experimenting with linear algebra. The toolbox is coordinated with the text: "Introduction to Linear Algebra," by Gilbert Strang. (1993) Wellesley-Cambridge Press
* Templates Toolkit . The M-files were created to supplement "Templates for the Solution of Linear Systems: Building Blocks for Iterative Methods," by Richard Barrett, Michael Berry, Tony Chan, James Demmel, June Donato, Jack Dongarra, Victor Eijkhout, Roldan Pozo, Charles Romine, and Henk van der Vorst (SIAM, 1994).
* Digitale Signalverarbeitung, Grundlagen und Anwendungen, Beispiele und Uebungen Toolkit. This is a toolkit for which demonstrates the concepts discussed in the text "Digitale Signalverarbeitung, Grundlagen und Anwendungen, Beispiele und Uebungen mit MATLAB," by Daniel Ch. von Grunigen. It is available free to purchasers of this text.
How do I contact The MathWorks about MATLAB via email?
Here you go ...
* support@mathworks.com Technical support * suggest@mathworks.com Product enhancement suggestions
* bugs@mathworks.com Bug reports
* doc@mathworks.com Documentation error reports
* subscribe@mathworks.com Subscribing user registration
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