Technical Computing

Technical Computing Description Topics

• The Power of Technical Computing with MATLAB
• Data Analysis and Exploration
• Mathematical Algorithms to Build On
• Modeling and Simulation
• Visualization and Image Processing
• Programming and Application Development
• Distributed and Parallel Programming

Data Analysis and Exploration

MATLAB^® supports the entire data analysis process, from acquiring data from external devices and databases to producing presentation-quality output. The MATLAB environment offers:

• A flexible analysis platform
• Straightforward access to a variety of data types
• Functions for preprocessing data including data reduction and manipulation
• Fast and accurate analysis functions
• Advanced analysis methods via toolboxes
• Graphics and reporting methods to help you understand and present your data

MATLAB provides easy access to data and analysis methods. Here the Import Wizard brings in data on carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere. The Basic Fitting and Data Statistics tools offer accurate routines for rapid analysis and modeling of the data. Click on image to see enlarged view. (26 KB)

Flexible Analysis Platform

Within the MATLAB environment you can interactively acquire, experiment with, view, and analyze data including signals, images, time histories and linear systems. The MATLAB language lets you easily manipulate scalars, vectors, matrices, N-D arrays, and user-defined data structures and objects. Because the syntax for using MATLAB interactively is the same as for writing programs, you can quickly convert your code and knowledge into reusable, automated analysis routines.

Straightforward Access to Data

Getting your data into and out of MATLAB is easy. MATLAB provides direct access to data from serial ports and TCP/IP connections as well as standard file formats. Data access methods include:

External devices - Using the Data Acquisition Toolbox you can stream live, measured data directly into MATLAB for analysis and visualization. The Instrument Control Toolbox allows communication with GPIB hardware and devices that rely on the VISA standard. For more information on data acquisition and instrument control please visit the Test and Measurement application area.

Databases, feeds, and files - Using the Database Toolbox you can communicate with many ODBC/JDBC compliant databases, and Spreadsheet Link™ EX lets you exchange data with Excel spreadsheets. With the Datafeed Toolbox you can interface directly with Bloomberg and live, historical, time series market data. Finally, with MATLAB formatted data files (MAT-files) you can preserve your variable structure in a "MATLAB database" with a single command.

File I/O - MATLAB has built-in support and an Import Wizard for popular file formats, including scientific data formats, image file formats, and industry standard formats, such as Excel. Additional functions perform ASCII and low-level binary I/O from M-file, C, Fortran, and Java programs, allowing you to work with any data format.

MATLAB provides tools for interfacing with external hardware devices, such as the Data Acquisition and Instrument Control Toolboxes. Here, a function generator was created using MATLAB and the Data Acquisition Toolbox to view and analyze data as it is being streamed live into MATLAB. Click on image to see enlarged view. (16 KB)

Functions for Pre-processing Data

MATLAB has a full range of functions for preprocessing data for analysis, including tools for:

• Data importing
• Scaling and averaging
• Interpolating and decimating
• Clipping and thresholding
• Extracting sections of data
• Smoothing and filtering
• Gridding

Fast and Accurate Analysis Functions

Commonly used methods for 1-D, 2-D, and generalized multi-dimensional data analysis are built directly into MATLAB. Easy-to-use, application-specific graphical interfaces, interactive computing, and structured programming tools let you choose the best approach for your analysis tasks. MATLAB data analysis operations include:

• Correlation
• Basic statistics and curve fitting
• Fourier analysis and filtering
• Matrix analysis
• 1-D peak, valley, and zero finding
• Differential equation solvers

The sptool user interface from the Signal Processing Toolbox allows you to import, analyze, and manipulate signals, filters, and spectra. Here we see an FFT of voice data. Click on image to see enlarged view.(22 KB)

Toolboxes for Advanced Analysis Methods

The variety of computing methods in MATLAB toolboxes allow you to compare algorithms and select the correct analysis method for your project. The toolboxes include thousands of application specific functions in areas such as:

Curve Fitting Filter design Statistics Communications Optimization Wavelets Spline

Image processing Symbolic math Control system design Partial differential equations Neural networks Signal processing Fuzzy logic

For a complete list of toolboxes please visit our product pages.

This figure shows the continuous wavelet transform (CWT) performed by the Wavelet Toolbox's Continuous Wavelet 1-D Tool. The original signal is plotted along with the results of the CWT using the Haar wavelet. Click on image to see enlarged view. (52.7 KB)

Graphics and Reporting Methods

General purpose and application-specific graphics let you instantly visualize signals, parametric surfaces, images, and more. The graphics are integrated with the analysis capabilities for displaying any raw data set, equation, or function result. MATLAB also makes it easy to share your analysis with your colleagues. The MATLAB Notebook allows you to log your MATLAB session in a Microsoft Word document while working in MATLAB. Then you can use the MATLAB Report Generator to create custom and standard reports containing your MATLAB analysis results.

Here we use the MATLAB notebook to generate a Microsoft Word document which describes the creation of a histogram using randomly generated data. Click on image to see enlarged view. (39 KB)