Main Content
Results for
Hello MATLAB Community!
We've had an exciting few weeks filled with insightful discussions, innovative tools, and engaging blog posts from our vibrant community. Here's a highlight of some noteworthy contributions that have sparked interest and inspired us all. Let's dive in!
Interesting Questions
Cindyawati explores the intriguing concept of interrupting continuous data in differential equations to study the effects of drug interventions in disease models. A thought-provoking question that bridges mathematics and medical research.
Pedro delves into the application of Linear Quadratic Regulator (LQR) for error dynamics and setpoint tracking, offering insights into control systems and their real-world implications.
Popular Discussions
Chen Lin shares an engaging interview with Zhaoxu Liu, shedding light on the creative processes behind some of the most innovative MATLAB contest entries of 2023. A must-read for anyone looking for inspiration!
Zhaoxu Liu, also known as slanderer, updates the community with the latest version of the MATLAB Plot Cheat Sheet. This resource is invaluable for anyone looking to enhance their data visualization skills.
From File Exchange
Giorgio introduces a toolbox for frequency estimation, making it simpler for users to import signals directly from the MATLAB workspace. A significant contribution for signal processing enthusiasts.
From the Blogs
Cleve Moler revisits a classic program for predicting future trends based on census data, offering a fascinating glimpse into the evolution of computational forecasting.
Boost Your App Design Efficiency – Effortless Component Swapping & Labeling in App Designer by Adam Danz
With contributions from Dinesh Kavalakuntla, Adam presents an insightful guide on improving app design workflows in MATLAB App Designer, focusing on component swapping and labeling.
We're incredibly proud of the diverse and innovative contributions our community members make every day. Each post, discussion, and tool not only enriches our knowledge but also inspires others to explore and create. Let's continue to support and learn from each other as we advance in our MATLAB journey.
Happy Coding!
quick / easy
21%
themed / in a group
20%
challenge (e.g., banned functions)
13%
puzzle / game
16%
educational
28%
other (comment below)
3%
117 votes
In the MATLAB description of the algorithm for Lyapunov exponents, I believe there is ambiguity and misuse.
The lambda(i) in the reference literature signifies the Lyapunov exponent of the entire phase space data after expanding by i time steps, but in the calculation formula provided in the MATLAB help documentation, Y_(i+K) represents the data point at the i-th point in the reconstructed data Y after K steps, and this calculation formula also does not match the calculation code given by MATLAB. I believe there should be some misguidance and misunderstanding here.
According to the symbol regulations in the algorithm description and the MATLAB code, I think the correct formula might be y(i) = 1/dt * 1/N * sum_j( log( ||Y_(j+i) - Y_(j*+i)|| ) )
Drumlin Farm has welcomed MATLAMB, named in honor of MathWorks, among ten adorable new lambs this season!
Are you local to Boston?
Shape the Future of MATLAB: Join MathWorks' UX Night In-Person!
When: June 25th, 6 to 8 PM
Where: MathWorks Campus in Natick, MA
🌟 Calling All MATLAB Users! Here's your unique chance to influence the next wave of innovations in MATLAB and engineering software. MathWorks invites you to participate in our special after-hours usability studies. Dive deep into the latest MATLAB features, share your valuable feedback, and help us refine our solutions to better meet your needs.
🚀 This Opportunity Is Not to Be Missed:
- Exclusive Hands-On Experience: Be among the first to explore new MATLAB features and capabilities.
- Voice Your Expertise: Share your insights and suggestions directly with MathWorks developers.
- Learn, Discover, and Grow: Expand your MATLAB knowledge and skills through firsthand experience with unreleased features.
- Network Over Dinner: Enjoy a complimentary dinner with fellow MATLAB enthusiasts and the MathWorks team. It's a perfect opportunity to connect, share experiences, and network after work.
- Earn Rewards: Participants will not only contribute to the advancement of MATLAB but will also be compensated for their time. Plus, enjoy special MathWorks swag as a token of our appreciation!
👉 Reserve Your Spot Now: Space is limited for these after-hours sessions. If you're passionate about MATLAB and eager to contribute to its development, we'd love to hear from you.
I found this plot of words said by different characters on the US version of The Office sitcom. There's a sparkline for each character from pilot to finale episode.
RGB triplet [0,1]
9%
RGB triplet [0,255]
12%
Hexadecimal Color Code
13%
Indexed color
16%
Truecolor array
37%
Equally unfamiliar with all-above
13%
2784 votes
A high school student called for help with this physics problem:
- Car A moves with constant velocity v.
- Car B starts to move when Car A passes through the point P.
- Car B undergoes...
- uniform acc. motion from P to Q.
- uniform velocity motion from Q to R.
- uniform acc. motion from R to S.
- Car A and B pass through the point R simultaneously.
- Car A and B arrive at the point S simultaneously.
Q1. When car A passes the point Q, which is moving faster?
Q2. Solve the time duration for car B to move from P to Q using L and v.
Q3. Magnitude of acc. of car B from P to Q, and from R to S: which is bigger?
Well, it can be solved with a series of tedious equations. But... how about this?
Code below:
%% get images and prepare stuffs
figure(WindowStyle="docked"),
ax1 = subplot(2,1,1);
hold on, box on
ax1.XTick = [];
ax1.YTick = [];
A = plot(0, 1, 'ro', MarkerSize=10, MarkerFaceColor='r');
B = plot(0, 0, 'bo', MarkerSize=10, MarkerFaceColor='b');
[carA, ~, alphaA] = imread('https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2013/07/12/11/58/car-145008_960_720.png');
[carB, ~, alphaB] = imread('https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2014/04/03/10/54/car-311712_960_720.png');
carA = imrotate(imresize(carA, 0.1), -90);
carB = imrotate(imresize(carB, 0.1), 180);
alphaA = imrotate(imresize(alphaA, 0.1), -90);
alphaB = imrotate(imresize(alphaB, 0.1), 180);
carA = imagesc(carA, AlphaData=alphaA, XData=[-0.1, 0.1], YData=[0.9, 1.1]);
carB = imagesc(carB, AlphaData=alphaB, XData=[-0.1, 0.1], YData=[-0.1, 0.1]);
txtA = text(0, 0.85, 'A', FontSize=12);
txtB = text(0, 0.17, 'B', FontSize=12);
yline(1, 'r--')
yline(0, 'b--')
xline(1, 'k--')
xline(2, 'k--')
text(1, -0.2, 'Q', FontSize=20, HorizontalAlignment='center')
text(2, -0.2, 'R', FontSize=20, HorizontalAlignment='center')
% legend('A', 'B') % this make the animation slow. why?
xlim([0, 3])
ylim([-.3, 1.3])
%% axes2: plots velocity graph
ax2 = subplot(2,1,2);
box on, hold on
xlabel('t'), ylabel('v')
vA = plot(0, 1, 'r.-');
vB = plot(0, 0, 'b.-');
xline(1, 'k--')
xline(2, 'k--')
xlim([0, 3])
ylim([-.3, 1.8])
p1 = patch([0, 0, 0, 0], [0, 1, 1, 0], [248, 209, 188]/255, ...
EdgeColor = 'none', ...
FaceAlpha = 0.3);
%% solution
v = 1; % car A moves with constant speed.
L = 1; % distances of P-Q, Q-R, R-S
% acc. of car B for three intervals
a(1) = 9*v^2/8/L;
a(2) = 0;
a(3) = -1;
t_BatQ = sqrt(2*L/a(1)); % time when car B arrives at Q
v_B2 = a(1) * t_BatQ; % speed of car B between Q-R
%% patches for velocity graph
p2 = patch([t_BatQ, t_BatQ, t_BatQ, t_BatQ], [1, 1, v_B2, v_B2], ...
[248, 209, 188]/255, ...
EdgeColor = 'none', ...
FaceAlpha = 0.3);
p3 = patch([2, 2, 2, 2], [1, v_B2, v_B2, 1], [194, 234, 179]/255, ...
EdgeColor = 'none', ...
FaceAlpha = 0.3);
%% animation
tt = linspace(0, 3, 2000);
for t = tt
A.XData = v * t;
vA.XData = [vA.XData, t];
vA.YData = [vA.YData, 1];
if t < t_BatQ
B.XData = 1/2 * a(1) * t^2;
vB.XData = [vB.XData, t];
vB.YData = [vB.YData, a(1) * t];
p1.XData = [0, t, t, 0];
p1.YData = [0, vB.YData(end), 1, 1];
elseif t >= t_BatQ && t < 2
B.XData = L + (t - t_BatQ) * v_B2;
vB.XData = [vB.XData, t];
vB.YData = [vB.YData, v_B2];
p2.XData = [t_BatQ, t, t, t_BatQ];
p2.YData = [1, 1, vB.YData(end), vB.YData(end)];
else
B.XData = 2*L + v_B2 * (t - 2) + 1/2 * a(3) * (t-2)^2;
vB.XData = [vB.XData, t];
vB.YData = [vB.YData, v_B2 + a(3) * (t - 2)];
p3.XData = [2, t, t, 2];
p3.YData = [1, 1, vB.YData(end), v_B2];
end
txtA.Position(1) = A.XData(end);
txtB.Position(1) = B.XData(end);
carA.XData = A.XData(end) + [-.1, .1];
carB.XData = B.XData(end) + [-.1, .1];
drawnow
end
Are you a Simulink user eager to learn how to create apps with App Designer? Or an App Designer enthusiast looking to dive into Simulink?
Don't miss today's article on the Graphics and App Building Blog by @Robert Philbrick! Discover how to build Simulink Apps with App Designer, streamlining control of your simulations!
Northern lights captured from this weekend at MathWorks campus ✨
Did you get a chance to see lights and take some photos?
isstring
11%
ischar
7%
iscellstr
13%
isletter
21%
isspace
9%
ispunctuation
37%
2455 votes
Hi to all.
I'm trying to learn a bit about trading with cryptovalues. At the moment I'm using Freqtrade (in dry-run mode of course) for automatic trading. The tool is written in python and it allows to create custom strategies in python classes and then run them.
I've written some strategy just to learn how to do, but now I'd like to create some interesting algorithm. I've a matlab license, and I'd like to know what are suggested tollboxes for following work:
- Create a criptocurrency strategy algorythm (for buying and selling some crypto like BTC, ETH etc).
- Backtesting the strategy with historical data (I've a bunch of json files with different timeframes, downloaded with freqtrade from binance).
- Optimize the strategy given some parameters (they can be numeric, like ROI, some kind of enumeration, like "selltype" and so on).
- Convert the strategy algorithm in python, so I can use it with Freqtrade without worrying of manually copying formulas and parameters that's error prone.
- I'd like to write both classic algorithm and some deep neural one, that try to find best strategy with little neural network (they should run on my pc with 32gb of ram and a 3080RTX if it can be gpu accelerated).
What do you suggest?
Hey MATLAB Community! 🌟
In the vibrant landscape of our online community, the past few weeks have been particularly exciting. We've seen a plethora of contributions that not only enrich our collective knowledge but also foster a spirit of collaboration and innovation. Here are some of the noteworthy contributions from our members.
Interesting Questions
Victor encountered a puzzling error while trying to publish his script to PDF. His post sparked a helpful discussion on troubleshooting this issue, proving invaluable for anyone facing similar challenges.
Devendra's inquiry into interpolating and smoothing NDVI time series using MATLAB has opened up a dialogue on various techniques to manage noisy data, benefiting researchers and enthusiasts in the field of remote sensing.
Popular Discussions
Adam Danz's AMA session has been a treasure trove of insights into the workings behind the MATLAB Answers forum, offering a unique perspective from a staff contributor's viewpoint.
The User Following feature marks a significant enhancement in how community members can stay connected with the contributions of their peers, fostering a more interconnected MATLAB Central.
From File Exchange
Robert Haaring's submission is a standout contribution, providing a sophisticated model for CO2 electrolysis, a topic of great relevance to researchers in environmental technology and chemical engineering.
From the Blogs
Verification and Validation for AI: From model implementation to requirements validation by Sivylla Paraskevopoulou
Sivylla's comprehensive post delves into the critical stages of AI model development, from implementation to validation, offering invaluable guidance for professionals navigating the complexities of AI verification.
In this engaging Q&A, Ned Gulley introduces us to Zhaoxu Liu, a remarkable community member whose innovative contributions and active engagement have left a significant impact on the MATLAB community.
Each of these contributions highlights the diverse and rich expertise within our community. From solving complex technical issues to introducing new features and sharing in-depth knowledge on specialized topics, our members continue to make MATLAB Central a vibrant and invaluable resource.
Let's continue to support, inspire, and learn from one another
Don't use / What are Projects?
26%
1–10
31%
11–20
15%
21–30
9%
31–50
7%
51+ (comment below)
12%
4070 votes
The study of the dynamics of the discrete Klein - Gordon equation (DKG) with friction is given by the equation :
above equation, W describes the potential function :
The objective of this simulation is to model the dynamics of a segment of DNA under thermal fluctuations with fixed boundaries using a modified discrete Klein-Gordon equation. The model incorporates elasticity, nonlinearity, and damping to provide insights into the mechanical behavior of DNA under various conditions.
% Parameters
numBases = 200; % Number of base pairs, representing a segment of DNA
kappa = 0.1; % Elasticity constant
omegaD = 0.2; % Frequency term
beta = 0.05; % Nonlinearity coefficient
delta = 0.01; % Damping coefficient
- Position: Random initial perturbations between 0.01 and 0.02 to simulate the thermal fluctuations at the start.
- Velocity: All bases start from rest, assuming no initial movement except for the thermal perturbations.
% Random initial perturbations to simulate thermal fluctuations
initialPositions = 0.01 + (0.02-0.01).*rand(numBases,1);
initialVelocities = zeros(numBases,1); % Assuming initial rest state
The simulation uses fixed ends to model the DNA segment being anchored at both ends, which is typical in experimental setups for studying DNA mechanics. The equations of motion for each base are derived from a modified discrete Klein-Gordon equation with the inclusion of damping:
% Define the differential equations
dt = 0.05; % Time step
tmax = 50; % Maximum time
tspan = 0:dt:tmax; % Time vector
x = zeros(numBases, length(tspan)); % Displacement matrix
x(:,1) = initialPositions; % Initial positions
% Velocity-Verlet algorithm for numerical integration
for i = 2:length(tspan)
% Compute acceleration for internal bases
acceleration = zeros(numBases,1);
for n = 2:numBases-1
acceleration(n) = kappa * (x(n+1, i-1) - 2 * x(n, i-1) + x(n-1, i-1)) ...
- delta * initialVelocities(n) - omegaD^2 * (x(n, i-1) - beta * x(n, i-1)^3);
end
% positions for internal bases
x(2:numBases-1, i) = x(2:numBases-1, i-1) + dt * initialVelocities(2:numBases-1) ...
+ 0.5 * dt^2 * acceleration(2:numBases-1);
% velocities using new accelerations
newAcceleration = zeros(numBases,1);
for n = 2:numBases-1
newAcceleration(n) = kappa * (x(n+1, i) - 2 * x(n, i) + x(n-1, i)) ...
- delta * initialVelocities(n) - omegaD^2 * (x(n, i) - beta * x(n, i)^3);
end
initialVelocities(2:numBases-1) = initialVelocities(2:numBases-1) + 0.5 * dt * (acceleration(2:numBases-1) + newAcceleration(2:numBases-1));
end
% Visualization of displacement over time for each base pair
figure;
hold on;
for n = 2:numBases-1
plot(tspan, x(n, :));
end
xlabel('Time');
ylabel('Displacement');
legend(arrayfun(@(n) ['Base ' num2str(n)], 2:numBases-1, 'UniformOutput', false));
title('Displacement of DNA Bases Over Time');
hold off;
The results are visualized using a plot that shows the displacements of each base over time . Key observations from the simulation include :
- Wave Propagation: The initial perturbations lead to wave-like dynamics along the segment, with visible propagation and reflection at the boundaries.
- Damping Effects: The inclusion of damping leads to a gradual reduction in the amplitude of the oscillations, indicating energy dissipation over time.
- Nonlinear Behavior: The nonlinear term influences the response, potentially stabilizing the system against large displacements or leading to complex dynamic patterns.
% 3D plot for displacement
figure;
[X, T] = meshgrid(1:numBases, tspan);
surf(X', T', x);
xlabel('Base Pair');
ylabel('Time');
zlabel('Displacement');
title('3D View of DNA Base Displacements');
colormap('jet');
shading interp;
colorbar; % Adds a color bar to indicate displacement magnitude
% Snapshot visualization at a specific time
snapshotTime = 40; % Desired time for the snapshot
[~, snapshotIndex] = min(abs(tspan - snapshotTime)); % Find closest index
snapshotSolution = x(:, snapshotIndex); % Extract displacement at the snapshot time
% Plotting the snapshot
figure;
stem(1:numBases, snapshotSolution, 'filled'); % Discrete plot using stem
title(sprintf('DNA Model Displacement at t = %d seconds', snapshotTime));
xlabel('Base Pair Index');
ylabel('Displacement');
% Time vector for detailed sampling
tDetailed = 0:0.5:50; % Detailed time steps
% Initialize an empty array to hold the data
data = [];
% Generate the data for 3D plotting
for i = 1:numBases
% Interpolate to get detailed solution data for each base pair
detailedSolution = interp1(tspan, x(i, :), tDetailed);
% Concatenate the current base pair's data to the main data array
data = [data; repmat(i, length(tDetailed), 1), tDetailed', detailedSolution'];
end
% 3D Plot
figure;
scatter3(data(:,1), data(:,2), data(:,3), 10, data(:,3), 'filled');
xlabel('Base Pair');
ylabel('Time');
zlabel('Displacement');
title('3D Plot of DNA Base Pair Displacements Over Time');
colorbar; % Adds a color bar to indicate displacement magnitude
Updating some of my educational Livescripts to 2024a, really love the new "define a function anywhere" feature, and have a "new" idea for improving Livescripts -- support "hidden" code blocks similar to the Jupyter Notebooks functionality.
For example, I often create "complicated" plots with a bunch of ancillary items and I don't want this code exposed to the reader by default, as it might confuse the reader. For example, consider a Livescript that might read like this:
-----
Noting the similar structure of these two mappings, let's now write a function that simply maps from some domain to some other domain using change of variable.
function x = ChangeOfVariable( x, from_domain, to_domain )
x = x - from_domain(1);
x = x * ( ( to_domain(2) - to_domain(1) ) / ( from_domain(2) - from_domain(1) ) );
x = x + to_domain(1);
end
Let's see this function in action
% HIDE CELL
clear
close all
from_domain = [-1, 1];
to_domain = [2, 7];
from_values = [-1, -0.5, 0, 0.5, 1];
to_values = ChangeOfVariable( from_values, from_domain, to_domain )
to_values = 1×5
2.0000 3.2500 4.5000 5.7500 7.0000
We can plot the values of from_values and to_values, showing how they're connected to each other:
% HIDE CELL
figure
hold on
for n = 1 : 5
plot( [from_values(n) to_values(n)], [1 0], Color="k", LineWidth=1 )
end
ax = gca;
ax.YTick = [];
ax.XLim = [ min( [from_domain, to_domain] ) - 1, max( [from_domain, to_domain] ) + 1 ];
ax.YLim = [-0.5, 1.5];
ax.XGrid = "on";
scatter( from_values, ones( 5, 1 ), Marker="s", MarkerFaceColor="flat", MarkerEdgeColor="k", SizeData=120, LineWidth=1, SeriesIndex=1 )
text( mean( from_domain ), 1.25, "$\xi$", Interpreter="latex", HorizontalAlignment="center", VerticalAlignment="middle" )
scatter( to_values, zeros( 5, 1 ), Marker="o", MarkerFaceColor="flat", MarkerEdgeColor="k", SizeData=120, LineWidth=1, SeriesIndex=2 )
text( mean( to_domain ), -0.25, "$x$", Interpreter="latex", HorizontalAlignment="center", VerticalAlignment="middle" )
scaled_arrow( ax, [mean( [from_domain(1), to_domain(1) ] ) - 1, 0.5], ( 1 - 0 ) / ( from_domain(1) - to_domain(1) ), 1 )
scaled_arrow( ax, [mean( [from_domain(end), to_domain(end)] ) + 1, 0.5], ( 1 - 0 ) / ( from_domain(end) - to_domain(end) ), -1 )
text( mean( [from_domain(1), to_domain(1) ] ) - 1.5, 0.5, "$x(\xi)$", Interpreter="latex", HorizontalAlignment="center", VerticalAlignment="middle" )
text( mean( [from_domain(end), to_domain(end)] ) + 1.5, 0.5, "$\xi(x)$", Interpreter="latex", HorizontalAlignment="center", VerticalAlignment="middle" )
-----
Where scaled_arrow is some utility function I've defined elsewhere... See how a majority of the code is simply "drivel" to create the plot, clear and close? I'd like to be able to hide those cells so that it would look more like this:
-----
Noting the similar structure of these two mappings, let's now write a function that simply maps from some domain to some other domain using change of variable.
function x = ChangeOfVariable( x, from_domain, to_domain )
x = x - from_domain(1);
x = x * ( ( to_domain(2) - to_domain(1) ) / ( from_domain(2) - from_domain(1) ) );
x = x + to_domain(1);
end
Let's see this function in action
▶ Show code cell
from_domain = [-1, 1];
to_domain = [2, 7];
from_values = [-1, -0.5, 0, 0.5, 1];
to_values = ChangeOfVariable( from_values, from_domain, to_domain )
to_values = 1×5
2.0000 3.2500 4.5000 5.7500 7.0000
We can plot the values of from_values and to_values, showing how they're connected to each other:
▶ Show code cell
-----
Thoughts?
I recently had issues with code folding seeming to disappear and it turns out that I had unknowingly disabled the "show code folding margin" option by accident. Despite using MATLAB for several years, I had no idea this was an option, especially since there seemed to be no references to it in the code folding part of the "Preferences" menu.
It would be great if in the future, there was a warning that told you about this when you try enable/disable folding in the Preferences.
I am using 2023b by the way.
2
17%
3
12%
4
59%
6
4%
8
5%
Other (comment below)
3%
6419 votes
In the MATLAB editor, when clicking on a variable name, all the other instances of the variable name will be highlighted.
But this does not work for structure fields, which is a pity. Such feature would be quite often useful for me.
I show an illustration below, and compare it with Visual Studio Code that does it. ;-)
I am using MATLAB R2023a, sorry if it has been added to newer versions, but I didn't see it in the release notes.
Welcome to MATLAB Central's first Ask Me Anything (AMA) session! Over the next few weeks, I look forward to addressing any questions or curiosities you might have about MATLAB, the forum, sasquatches, or whatever's on your mind. Having volunteered as a contributor to this community before joining MathWorks, I'm excited to act as a bridge between these two worlds. Let's kick things off by sharing a little-known fact about the forum’s staff contributors!
A couple of years ago, before I joined MathWorks as a developer on the Graphics and Charting team, I often wondered who were the MathWorkers with the [staff] moniker answering questions in the Answers forum. Is their MATLAB Central activity part of their day-to-day job expectations? Do they serve specific roles on some kind of community outreach team? Is their work in the forum voluntary in the same way that non-staff contributors volunteer their time?
Now that I'm on the inside, I'd like to share a secret with my fellow MATLAB users and MATLAB Central enthusiasts: with the exception of the MathWorks Support Team, staff participation in the Answers forum is completely voluntary! The staff contributions you see in the forum arise from pure intrinsic motivation to connect with users, help people out of ruts, and spread the word about our product!
For example, Steven Lord has contributed 20-150 answers per month for 9 years! Steven is a quality engineer for core MATLAB numerical functions. Cris LaPierre develops training material and has been a faithful contributor in the forum for almost 6 years! Kojiro Saito and Akira Agata have been tackling Japanese content for more than 7 years! There are many others who have inspired me as a user, and I am honored to now call colleagues: Peter Perkins, Michio, Joss Knight, Alan Weiss, Jiro Doke, Edric Ellis, and many others who deserve appreciation.
The forum's success hinges on the invaluable contributions from the majority of non-staff volunteers, whose dedication and expertise fuel our community. But I know I wasn't alone in wondering about these staff contributors, so now you're in on the secret!
I'm curious to know what other topics you're interested in learning about. Ask me anything!