New versions of Matlab, Simulink and more

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Nov 7, 2000

The MathWorks is introducing a major new release of its entire portfolio of technical computing software for engineers and scientists, including Matlab 6 and Simulink 4.0

The MathWorks is introducing a major new release of its entire portfolio of industry-leading technical computing software for engineers and scientists.

Release 12 includes important new versions of The MathWorks' flagship products, Matlab 6 and Simulink 4.0, as well as upgrades of 40 application-specific software tools.

Among these are the Neural Network Toolbox 4.0, Statistics Toolbox 3.0, Data Acquisition Toolbox 2.0, Matlab Compiler Suite 2.1 and Matlab Web Server.

Release 12 is the result of extensive design and development work on the Matlab computer language, control design applications, DSP and communications design.

A primary focus has been on usability: the company has established a large development group working continuously on customer requirements, ensuring that The MathWorks' products closely match the working practices of technical professionals.

The first and most obvious result of this is the Matlab desktop, which provides an intuitive, highly flexible, visual user interface to Matlab 6.

This makes it far easier for existing and new users to access the different tools and functions available to them, and to work their way around the Matlab environment.

In addition, Matlab 6 also gives users fast state-of-the art maths functionality with Lapack-matrix computation and enhanced FFT implementations for signal and processing.

Another major change is the introduction, with Release 12, of a range of new test and measurement tools to communicate with external hardware and instruments.

Matlab 6 now has a serial port interface, can make full use of Java script and readily accepts data in various file formats.

New interfaces are provided to external sources such as Java script, as well as to serial ports, and Matlab 6 also accepts data in most standard file formats.

In addition, the new Instrument Control Toolbox allows users to communicate with instruments through standard GPIB and VISA protocols.

The Simulink 4.0 product family, including Real-Time Workshop 4.0, builds upon Matlab 6 with a wide range of new features.

Simulink 4.0 now offers frame-based simulations support, faster loading of libraries, a new configurable subsystem block and significantly improved speed and memory usage.

These support large-scale modelling of embedded code for controls, DSP and communications systems design.

A new product, Simulink Performance Tools 1.0, provides advanced model-based design capabilities.

These include tools to model performance, compare two Simulink models graphically, and analyse the breadth and results of model simulation tests.

For embedded systems, the new Real-Time Windows Embedded Coder 1.0 produces optimised code for custom-embedded applications, with reduced code size and more efficient utilisation of memory.

Substantial updates are also found in Simulink 4.0, Stateflow 4.0, Stateflow Coder 4.0, Real-Time Workshop 4.0, Control System Toolbox 5.0 and System Identification Toolbox 5.0.

Also available is a new DSP Developer's Kit for Texas Instruments chips, which provides a breakthrough capability for embedded DSP development.

This will be especially beneficial for DSP and communications users.

It allows Simulink diagrams to be converted directly into TI 67XX code.

It augments the other DSP hardware links announced by The MathWorks this year, including the Xilinx System Generator for FPGA (created and sold by Xilinx) and the Motorola DSP Developer's Kit.

Also included in Release 12 are a new Filter Design Toolbox and major updates to the Communications Blockset, as well as new versions of the DSP Blockset and Communications, Signal Processing and Wavelet Toolboxes.

Release 12 from The MathWorks is currently shipping for Microsoft Windows 95, 98, NT and 2000, and UNIX and Linux.