Visual Numerics: "Introductory Academic Licensing Program"

Visual Numerics, Inc. has provided technical software solutions for numerical analysis and visualization for over 36 years. The company's software products help users understand complex data from a variety of sources and build business-critical applications. The company offers two product lines: the IMSL® Numerical Libraries for powerful mathematical and statistical analysis and the PV-WAVE® visual data analysis development environment. Visual Numerics also offers customized professional services for applications that involve mathematical, statistical, or visual data analysis to meet today's business analytical needs.

Last week the company honored "Math Awareness Month" by offering a low-cost "Introductory Department License Special (US)" to faculty and academic researchers for its IMSL® Numerical Libraries and PV-WAVE® visualization software. Visual Numerics' licensing program offers faculty and researchers a cost-effective way to purchase its award-winning IMSL Numerical Libraries in Fortran, C/C++, Java and/or .NET as well as PV-WAVE, and use those tools to build applications for a range of academic tutorials including numerical analysis, computational biology, financial analysis, forecasting, and high performance computing. The program guarantees the low cost pricing for three years. Under the department licensing agreement, students can use the software for free.

For more imnformation on Visual Numerics' academic licensing program, call 800-222-4675 or 713-784-3131 or email academicprograms@vni.com. Or Visit "Department License Special (US)"

'BlockImporter for Simulink' from MapleSoft

Last month Maplesoft introduced another useful product that'll go a long way in integrating tools in hands of those who use both Maple and Simulink in their daily work. The new product imports Simulink® diagrams into Maple and converts them to mathematical expressions for analysis and problem-solving and thus is appropriately named 'BlockImporter™ for Simulink®' .

On many occasions, engineers need to assimilate Simulink models developed by some other external group into their own system. The validation process is always tedious and may consume too much time before the benefits of such models can be realized. BlockImporter allows the import of Simulink system or subsystem model into Maple and convert it to a set of mathematical equations. One can then study the underlying mathematics in a meaningful, fully understandable form.

The feature that will attract many engineers to BlockImporter is the ease it offers in testing the behavior of such models by running simulations and parameter sweeps. Once these models are analyzed, optimized and simplified, they can be converted back to Simulink using BlockBuilder. This enables the user to validate the mathematical integrity of the model, perform further analysis, document the system, eliminate algebraic loops and increase Simulink execution speed.

Last year, Maplesoft introduced another great product: "Maple Toolbox for Matlab". The launching of 'BlockImporter for Simulink' is another praiseworthy step taken by this resourceful company in right direction to help users of both Maple and MATLAB or Simulink, who were trying for a long time to harness the benefit of both by combining all advantages of symbolic and numeric computation offered by these two softwares.

Kudos to Maplesoft for listening carefully to its users and then caring to come up with such useful products!

Link: BlockImporter Homepage

Super Rub-A-Dub & Fluid Simulation

Scientists at the Materials and Engineering Research Institute, Sheffield Hallam University used latest developments in a complex mathematical model designed to simulate how materials behave to create the most realistic flowing water ever seen in a computer game that features a swimming gaggle of ducks! Named 'Super Rub-A-Dub', this soon-to-be-popular game has been developed by Sheffield games company Sumo Digital and is one of around thirty which will be available on Sony's newly launched download site.

In this game a mother duck is guided by the game player, using a 6-axis controller, round an extremely realistic tub of water -- with ripples and reflected light -- in her attempts to free her offspring from the bubbles and lead them safely home, whilst avoiding a range of obstacles.

Much of the initial research work of the Sheffield Hallam group that finally found a way into this game involved development of computer programmes which simulate the way different materials actually behave, enabling much greater understanding of their properties and providing detailed information to aid product development in a wide range of industry sectors. The 'Thinking Water technology' developed by the group is one such programme which offers a highly efficient means of simulating fluid flow. It's a technology which has already been used in work with major companies such as BNFL and Rolls Royce. As their use of algorithms in research became more efficient and games consoles were becoming increasingly more powerful, the research group hit upon the idea of contributing something quite new to the games industry. At that point they approached Sumo for final implementation. And one year later Super Rub-A-Dub is born.

The team members at Sheffield Hallam responsible for the development of Thinking Water are Dr Richard Webster, Dr Ian Halliday and Professor Chris Care. Their background is in mathematics and theoretical physics. They feel happy that the new work has allowed them to use their knowledge of physics to create more realistic games environments for the next generation of games consoles.

"Mult-e-Maths" Toolbox from Hitachi Software

Hitachi Software announced today that StarBoard® interactive users will have exclusive access to the new Mult-e-Maths Toolbox LE version, an interactive math tool package created by Cambridge-Hitachi exclusively for Hitachi Software and is compatible with any current StarBoard interactive product.

The Hitachi Software website currently features over 500 activities and lesson plans. It continues to build on its downloadable lesson plans and educational tools with additional approved content, providing educators with a hub to download content, inspire new lesson plans and create new activities.

The latest addition, Mult-e-Maths Toolbox, allows teachers to demonstrate mathematical concepts in a simple visual way through retractable angles, protractors, and moveable 3D shapes, making it applicable for all students. Developed by Cambridge-Hitachi in concert with Cambridge University Press, Mult-e-Maths simplifies a teacher’s day with printable teacher support and a wide variety of lesson plans and activities. It was awarded by the British Education Training & Technology (BETT) in 2006.

For more details, visit Mult-e-Maths website.