Hi @Rachel,
You mentioned, “ I am wondering if you can use MATLAB with AutoCad in the design of recording studios and other spaces like concert venues, etc.? ”
Yes, you can definitely use MATLAB together with AutoCAD in architectural acoustics work, including things like recording studios, concert halls, auditoriums, and other complex rooms. The two programs don’t directly integrate, but they complement each other very well through common file formats.
The usual workflow is to build the room or building geometry in AutoCAD, then export it in a format that MATLAB can read — most commonly STL or STEP. MATLAB’s PDE Toolbox has a function called importGeometry that loads these CAD files and turns them into a simulation-ready geometry. You can find the documentation here: ImportGeometry
Once the geometry is imported, MATLAB can generate a finite-element mesh and run various acoustic simulations. These can include wave-equation modeling, Helmholtz (frequency-domain) analysis, eigenmode calculations, and other types of room-acoustic studies. MATLAB’s general documentation on handling geometry and meshes is here:< Geometryandmesh >
A practical limitation to be aware of is that STL imports don’t always preserve complex internal boundaries or multiple interconnected volumes. In some cases MATLAB treats them as separate regions, which can make boundary conditions or multi-material acoustics harder to set up. That issue is described here: STL Imports
In real-world acoustics work, many people use a combination of tools: AutoCAD (or Rhino) for building the geometry, MATLAB for analysis and custom simulations, and specialized acoustics software such as Odeon, CATT-Acoustic, or EASE for detailed room-acoustic ray tracing and reflection studies. MATLAB is especially valuable for signal processing, custom modeling, or any deeper mathematical analysis that those programs don’t provide directly.
Hope this helps!
