- MathWorks introduced Release 2018a (R2018a) with a range of new capabilities in Matlab and Simulink.
- R2018a includes two new products, Predictive Maintenance Toolbox for designing and testing condition monitoring and predictive maintenance algorithms, and Vehicle Dynamics Blockset for modeling and simulating vehicle dynamics in a virtual 3D environment.
In addition to new features in Matlab and Simulink, and the new products, this release also includes updates and bug fixes to 94 other products.
– Matlab Product Family Updates Include:
Matlab: Live functions, documentation authoring, debugging, and interactive controls for embedding sliders and drop-down menus in the Live Editor.
App (UI) testing framework, C++ MEX interface, custom tab completion, and function assistants for advanced software development.
Matlab Online: Hardware connectivity for communicating with USB webcams.
Econometrics Toolbox: Econometric Modeler app for performing time series analysis, specification testing, modeling, and diagnostics.
Image Processing Toolbox: 3-D image processing and volume visualization.
Partial Differential Equation Toolbox: Structural dynamic analysis to find natural frequencies, mode shapes, and transient response.
Optimization Toolbox: Branching methods for solving mixed-integer linear problems faster
# Deep Learning
– Neural Network Toolbox:
- Support package for importing deep learning layers and networks designed in TensorFlow-Keras
- Long short-term memory (LSTM) networks for solving regression problems, and doing text classification with Text Analytics Toolbox
- Adam, RMSProp, and gradient clipping to improve network training
- Accelerated training for directed acyclic graph (DAG) networks using multiple GPUs and computing intermediate layer activations
– Computer Vision System Toolbox: Image Labeler app to automate labeling of individual pixels for semantic segmentation
– GPU Coder:
- CUDA code generation for networks with directed acyclic graph (DAG) topology and pretrained networks like GoogLeNet, ResNet, and SegNet
- C code generation for deep learning networks on Intel and ARM processors
# Data Analytics
– Statistics and Machine Learning Toolbox:
- High-density data visualization with scatter plots in the Classification Learner app
- Big data algorithms for kernel SVM regression, computing confusion matrices, and creating nonstratified partitions for cross-validation
– Text Analytics Toolbox:
- Multiword phrase extraction and counting, HTML text extraction, and detection of sentences, email addresses, and URLs
- Stochastic LDA model training for large datasets
– Predictive Maintenance Toolbox:
- A new product for designing and testing condition monitoring and predictive maintenance algorithms
– Simulink Product Family Updates Include:
– Simulink:
- Predictive quick insert to connect a recommended block to an existing block in a model
- Simulation Pacing for running simulations at wall clock speed or other specified pace for improved visualization
- Simulation Data Inspector in the Live Editor for directly adding, viewing, and editing plots
– Simulink 3D Animation:
- Collision detection for sensing collisions of virtual world objects using point clouds, raytracing, and primitive geometries
– Simscape:
- Moist air domain and block library to model HVAC and environmental control systems
- Partitioning local solver to increase real-time simulation speed
# Automotive
Automated Driving System Toolbox: Driving Scenario Designer app for interactively defining actors and driving scenarios to test control and sensor fusion algorithms
Model Predictive Control Toolbox: ADAS blocks for designing, simulating, and implementing adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping algorithms
Vehicle Network Toolbox: CAN FD protocol support in Simulink, and XCP over Ethernet to communicate with ECUs from Matlab or Simulink
Model-Based Calibration Toolbox: Powertrain Blockset integration for using measured data to calibrate and generate tables for Powertrain Blockset mapped engines
Vehicle Dynamics Blockset: A new product for modeling and simulating vehicle dynamics in a virtual 3D environment.
# Code Generation
– Embedded Coder:
- Embedded Coder dictionary for defining custom code generation configurations for data and functions
- Code Perspective for customizing Simulink desktop for code generation workflows
– Matlab Coder:
- Row-major array layout to simplify interfacing generated code with C environments storing arrays in row-major format
- Sparse matrix support to enable more efficient computation using sparse matrices in generated code
- C code generation for machine learning deployment including k-nearest neighbor, nontree ensemble models, and distance calculations with Statistics and Machine Learning Toolbox
– Fixed-Point Designer:
- Lookup table optimization for approximating functions and minimizing existing lookup table RAM usage
– HDL Coder:
- Matrix support enabling HDL code generation directly from algorithms with two-dimensional matrix data types and operations
# Signal Processing and Communications
– Signal Processing Toolbox:
- Signal Analyzer app for processing multiple signals and extracting regions of interest from signals
- Vibration signal analysis from rotating machinery using RPM tracking and order analysis
– LTE System Toolbox:
- NB-IoT support to model the narrowband Internet of Things transport and physical downlink shared channel
– RF Blockset:
- Power amplifier model for capturing nonlinearity and memory effects based on input/output device characteristics
– Wavelet Toolbox:
- Continuous and discrete wavelet transform filter banks
– Robotics System Toolbox:
- Lidar-based SLAM for localizing robots and map environments using lidar sensors
# Verification and Validation
Simulink Requirements: Requirements import with ReqIF for importing requirements from third-party tools such as IBM Rational DOORS Next Generation or Siemens Polarion.
Simulink Test: Coverage aggregation to combine coverage results from multiple test runs.
Polyspace Code Prover: AUTOSAR support for static analysis of AUTOSAR software components.
