Western Carolina University

The engineering and technology curriculum utilizes MATLAB and LabVIEW software for circuit simulation and data capture. DSP and microcontrollers are used.

MATLAB

MATLAB is a high-level language and interactive environment that enables you to perform computationally intensive tasks faster than with traditional programming languages such as C, C++, and Fortran. You can use MATLAB in a wide range of applications, including signal and image processing, communications, control design, test and measurement, and modeling and analysis. Add-on toolboxes (collections of special-purpose MATLAB functions) extend the MATLAB environment to solve particular classes of problems in these application areas.

Free MATLAB tutorial information and a free demo CD are available.

Key Features

• High-level language for technical computing
• Development environment for managing code, files, and data
• Interactive tools for iterative exploration, design, and problem solving
• Mathematical functions for linear algebra, statistics, Fourier analysis, filtering, optimization, and numerical integration
• 2-D and 3-D graphics functions for visualizing data
• Tools for building custom graphical user interfaces
• Functions for integrating MATLAB based algorithms with external applications and languages, such as C, C++, Fortran, Java, COM, and Microsoft Excel

LabVIEW

For 20 years, engineers and scientists have been using National Instruments LabVIEW, a powerful graphical development environment, for signal acquisition, measurement analysis, and data presentation. LabVIEW provides the flexibility of a programming language without the complexity of traditional development tools.

Key Features:

• Intuitive, graphical programming language for engineers and scientists
• High-level, application-specific development tools and libraries
• Built-in measurement and analysis functions.
• Deployable to desktop, mobile, industrial and embedded targets.

Visit the LabVIEW site for a tour, tutorials, online resources and more.