Leading Engineering Math Firm Extends Product Line

MathWorks introduces Release 2019b, providing engineers with a variety of new features in MATLAB and Simulink. Updates include new technologies for product development in artificial intelligence (AI), deep learning (DL) and the automotive industry. MathWorks R2019b also introduces products in support of robotics, new training resources for event-based modeling, as well as updates and bug fixes across the MATLAB and Simulink product families. 

MATLAB R2019b introduces Live Editor Tasks, a tool to interactively explore parameters, preprocess data and generate MATLAB code that becomes part of the live script. Now, MATLAB users can focus on the task instead of the syntax or complex code, and automatically run generated code to quickly iterate on parameters through visualization.

Simulink R2019b includes the new Simulink Toolstrip. Tabs are arranged according to workflow and sorted by frequency of use, saving navigation and search time.   

Deep Learning Toolbox is extended in R2019b, with new capabilities enabling users to train advanced network architectures. The toolbox uses custom training loops, automatic differentiation, shared weights and custom loss functions. Users can now build generative adversarial networks (GANs), Siamese networks, variational autoencoders and attention networks. Deep Learning Toolbox also can now export to ONNX format networks, to combine CNN and LSTM (long short-term memory network) layers and networks that include 3D CNN layers.

There are significant new features in MathWorks R2019b for the automotive industry. Automated Driving Toolbox supports 3D simulation, including the ability to develop, test and verify driving algorithms in a 3D environment. There is a block enabling users to generate the velocity profile of a driving patch given kinematic constraints.

Powertrain Blockset is a feature for generating a deep learning spark ignition (SI) engine model for algorithm design and performance, fuel economy and emissions analysis. The new Sensor Fusion and Tracking Toolbox allows users to perform track-to-track fusion and to architect decentralized tracking systems. 

Polyspace Bug Finder offers increased support of AUTOSAR C++14 coding guidelines to check for misuse of lambda expressions, potential problems with enumerations and other issues.

There are two new products specifically for robotics work. Navigation Toolbox is for designing, simulating and deploying planning and navigation algorithms. It includes algorithms and tools for designing and simulating systems that map, localize, plan and move within physical or virtual environments. ROS Toolbox is for the design, simulation and deployment of Robotic Operating System (ROS) applications. The toolbox provides an interface between MATLAB and Simulink and the Robotic Operating System (ROS and ROS2), allowing users to compose a network of nodes, model and simulate a ROS network, and generate embedded system software for ROS nodes.  

MathWorks continues its series of Onramp engineering tutorials in R2019b with the release of Stateflow Onramp, a new interactive tutorial to help users learn the basics of creating, editing and simulating Stateflow models. Like other Onramps for MATLAB, Simulink and deep learning, this self-paced learning course includes video tutorials and hands-on exercises with automated assessments and feedback.

R2019b is available immediately worldwide. 

Code generation and verification receives a boost in R2019 with a new embedded coder, to generate object-oriented C++ code for software compositions, using message-based communications. There is also a new Fixed-Point Designer, which includes lookup table optimization to allow off-curve table values to be included in optimized lookup tables. A new feature for test bit patterns generates simulation inputs to test full operating bit range for engineering designs. 

Signal processing receives a boost in R2019b with new features in the Audio Toolbox. Audio and Speech Feature Extraction automates a tedious task, while Audio Data Augmentation generates modified version of audio and speech recording using combinations of common and custom effects. 

MathWorks 2019b release for MATLAB and Simulink is now available for download.  

For information on all new products, enhancements, and bug fixes to the MATLAB and Simulink product families, watch the R2019b Highlights video. 

For more information on MathWorks Release 2019b click here. 

See why DE’s Editors selected MathWorks Release 2019b as their Pick of the Week.

Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company’s website.