Excel vs. Matlab

[marccenter]

I use Matlab/Simulink to help program the next generation of Hybrid Powertrain Controllers in my day job for General Motors. Other automotive
companies have announced that they are doing the same.
I have used Excel for spreadsheet operations and consider it to be
a "killer application", a software program that makes you buy a computer
just because of what it does by itself.
Comparing Matlab and Excel in my opinion is like comparing two kinds
of apples.
If you limit Matlab to just Matlab you are only operating "on the tip
the iceberg" as to it's true power. Simulink is a Matlab based program that
allows the user to program embedded controllers using another Matlab
based program, the Real-Time-Workshop. In high school and undergraduate college, most of your mathematics do not involve matrix math. In graduate school, Matrix Math is used to describe control systems and Matlab is the
tool of choice to help solve those problems.

In 2004, FIRST upgraded the controllers from P-basic to C-based
controllers. At GM, we began using higher-level programming languages
like C in 1996, almost 10 years ago. My predicition is that in about
2010, FIRST will introduce Matlab/Simulink/RTW toolset to allow FIRST
teams to program the next generation of robots.
If you go on to engineering school, you will most likely be exposed
to Excel and Matlab/Simulink.

[Chris Hibner]

Marc,

Great points. I use Matlab/Simulink every day for about 5 hours a day. It is the usual tool I use in my day job.

As for higher level languages, we have been using TargetLink (a 3rd party extension of Simulink from dSPACE Inc.) to do auto code generation at work for about 4 years now. We have used TargetLink to auto code our autonomous control code ever since FIRST has introduced autonomous mode in 2003.

I completely agree that before long FIRST might consider adding RTW or TargetLink in order to help code the control portions of of the robot. I think the students will learn a lot from that.

The attached image shows the top-level Simulink model of our Waypoint controller.