Academics use MATLAB and Simulink to enhance instruction in core mechanical engineering topics and facilitate research developments in robotics, mechatronics, and the design of complex mechanisms.
With MATLAB and Simulink, academics can:
- Elevate teaching of fundamental topics in kinetics, kinematics, and dynamics
- Extend the reach of their analytical and experimental methods by using computational tools
- Expand from fundamental physical phenomena to applied real-world applications in robotics and mechatronics
- Integrate virtual and physical labs to facilitate the experimental learning of mechanical systems
Industry Examples
From Kinematics and Dynamics to Robotics and Mechatronics
Enhance Kinematics and Dynamics Education
Use MATLAB Live Editor and its apps to teach concepts in kinematics and dynamics. Offer a focused, organized learning space by combining descriptive explanations, symbolic derivation and analysis, numerical implementation, and visualization of results. Enable students to analyze and visualize system behavior across various parameters and conditions using interactive controls—helping them develop engineering intuition through computational thinking.
Featured Offerings
Analytical Solutions of System Kinematics and Dynamics
Derive and evaluate analytical solutions to equations of motion with Symbolic Math Toolbox. The closed-form solutions of canonical systems provide a deeper understanding for system behaviors. Export these solutions as numerical implementations in MATLAB and Simulink, or use them for verification and validation of other computational methods.
Kinematics and Dynamics for Robotic Systems
Design, simulate, test, and deploy manipulators and mobile robots with Robotics System Toolbox. For manipulators, the toolbox includes algorithms for collision checking, path planning, trajectory generation, forward and inverse kinematics, and dynamics using a rigid body tree representation. For mobile robots, it includes algorithms for mapping, localization, path planning, path following, and motion control.
Discover additional MATLAB and Simulink products and workflows for Robotics Education.
Multibody Simulation and Visualization
Simscape Multibody offers a comprehensive multibody simulation environment for 3D mechanical systems, including robots, vehicle suspensions, construction equipment, and aircraft landing gear. Model multibody systems using blocks representing bodies, joints, constraints, force elements, and sensors.
Simscape Multibody formulates and solves the equations of motion for the complete mechanical system. Import complete CAD assemblies, including all masses, inertias, joints, constraints, and 3D geometry, into your model. Visualize the system dynamics using automatically generated 3D animations.
Featured Offerings
- Multibody Simulation Onramp
- Measure Forces and Torques Acting at Joints
- Perform Forward and Inverse Kinematics on a Five-Bar Robot
- Computing Actuator Torques Using Inverse Dynamics
- Export CAD Assemblies from SolidWorks®, Autodesk Inventor®, and PTC® Creo™ with Simscape Multibody Link
- Simscape Multibody – Examples
Virtual and Physical Labs
Virtual labs connect fundamental learning and applications to real-world mechanisms. Leverage 3D visualizations to replicate physical experiments in class, making hands-on learning accessible to everyone. Guide students to explore various scenarios, deepening their understanding of the system behavior and underlying physics in a safe and controlled environment before working with physical experiments. Have students compare and contrast the system responses to reinforce learning.
Featured Offerings
Designing and developing vehicles, industrial trucks, and heavy equipment.
Design and Implement Complex Mechanisms
Complex mechanisms in real-world applications often involve control systems and extensive integration of software and hardware. Integrate mechanical, electrical, and software components in engineered systems using the extended capabilities of MATLAB and Simulink for control system design, multidomain physical modeling, and hardware implementation.
Academic Examples
Self-Paced Online Courses
MATLAB and Simulink for Kinematics and Dynamics Applications
Industry and Academic Applications
- Development and Deployment of Virtual Kinematics and Compliance Test System (20:52)
- Active Digital Twins at ESA's Control Lab: Enablers for Complex Spacecraft Controls Solutions (29:01)
- Handling Analysis and Control Development of Commercial Trucks with Volvo Transport Models (13:27)
- Politecnico di Torino Graduate Student Demonstrates Value of Physical Modeling and Dynamic Simulation to Industry Partner Comau
MathWorks Presentations
- Vehicle Dynamics Simulation and Visualization for Student Competitions (1:04:02)
- Multibody Simulation with Simscape Multibody (47:31)
- Design Industrial Robot Applications from Perception to Motion (35:56)
- Physical Modeling of Offroad Vehicles with Simscape (5:25)
- Developing Safe Industrial Equipment using Simulation (47:25)
- Model-Based Design of Production Machines – Video Series
