Seven years of integrating world leading technical
computing software into all levels of its electrical engineering teaching has
helped The University of Queensland (UQ) become one of
The
Associate Professor Brian Lovell, who is Program
Director of Electrical Engineering in the
“MATLAB is like a clay modelling language that
students and lecturers can mould to initially demonstrate applications and
eventually use to develop practical and original applications which offer
enormous commercial opportunities,” he said.
Just some of the teaching areas where MATLAB is
used include computation programming, robotics, mathematics matrix work,
biomedical imaging, digital communications, studying electromagnetic fields and
waves, magnetic resonance technology, and developing real-time imaging systems.
“Students are using MATLAB at all levels of their
electrical engineering studies with final year students using it to design and
test proof of concept systems that illustrate possible applications that we
believe could be commercially developed with venture capital support,”
Professor Lovell said.
Just some of the systems developed by students
include working concept demonstrators able to recognise and track faces in a
crowd, computer interface systems using hand gestures but no mouse, predicting
object movement such as a cricket ball for sporting applications, and
pedestrian detection for smart vehicle computer guidance systems. Other
applications being developed by students using MATLAB include active shape
modelling for medical imaging applications and 3D reconstruction from
uncalibrated video.
Professor Lovell believes these and other student
projects are at a demonstration stage and could easily be developed to
high-speed commercial use with investor funding.
“The advantage of MATLAB is it offers us a
consistent package that the students can learn from at early stages through to
their advanced work in developing and testing real time applications.”
Currently, almost 800 students are studying the
four-year electrical engineering course at UQ, with 50% of this year’s
graduating class being attracted to the course from high-tech Asian countries. Also attracted to UQ are an increasing number
of European exchange students.
The course attendance has grown 30% in the last
five years and the
A key element of the UQ teaching process for the
students is the ability to learn and develop systems in key areas such as image
processing, with full time access to sophisticated real time technical computer
software such as MATLAB.
About
The MathWorks
The MathWorks is the world’s leading developer and
supplier of technical computing software for engineers and scientists in
industry, government, and education.
With more than 65 products based on MATLAB and Simulink, The MathWorks
provides high-productivity tools and consulting services to solve challenging
problems in automotive, aerospace, telecommunications, process industries,
electronics, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, finance, and earth and
planetary sciences. The MathWorks was
founded in 1984 and employs 1000 people worldwide. For additional information, visit www.mathworks.com.
MATLAB
and Simulink are registered trademarks of The MathWorks, Inc.
About
ceanet
Since its foundation in 1969, ceanet has become a
leading supplier and developer of innovative software solutions for research
and development in industry and education.
ceanet is the developer of Power-View, a GIS asset
management program, and the exclusive Australian distributor for a number of
international companies including; MINITAB, Process Model, Lanner, The
MathWorks, Waterloo Maple, and dSPACE, and the Numerical Algorithms Group. ceanet has clients from
a wide range of industries including electronics, communications, power,
defence, aerospace, automotive, finance, mining, agriculture, medicine and
education.
ENDS
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further information:
Shelley Dover, ceanet
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0411 868 348