Model-Based Design with MathWorks

Discover the MathWorks tools available to the EPFL community at this upcoming event. The sessions will provide an overview of existing resources and offer a chance to explore their capabilities in more depth, with time dedicated to questions and discussion.
Two back-to-back sessions will be held on Wednesday, May 7th, in room AAC 1 14. Participants are welcome to join either one or both sessions.

Overview Session (11:00–12:30): Leveraging Model-Based Design for Robotics Projects with MathWorks

Modern robotics systems combine complex dynamics, advanced control algorithms, perception, and embedded software, all of which must work together reliably. In this introductory session, we present how the MathWorks toolchain supports the complete robotics workflow, from early-stage modeling and simulation to verification and deployment on real hardware. Using representative robotics use cases, we demonstrate how model-based design enables researchers and educators to systematically develop robotic systems. The presentation covers concepts such as multi-domain modeling, simulation of robotic behavior and automatic code generation of algorithms for embedded targets. The goal of the session is to provide an overview of how MATLAB® and Simulink® can be used and to raise awareness that EPFL provides the full toolchain for academic use.

Following the presentation, there will be a lunch break with snacks and refreshments, during which participants can exchange ideas and ask questions. Participants interested in diving deeper into the implementation are invited to join the hands-on workshop in the afternoon.

Audience: faculty members, researchers, teaching assistants, and anyone interested in understanding how MathWorks tools can support robotics research and education.

Hands-on Workshop (12:30–14:30): Model-Based Design with MATLAB and Simulink

In the afternoon session, participants will dive deeper into the practical implementation of a concrete working example using MATLAB and Simulink. Building on the introduced concepts from the morning, this workshop guides participants through the key steps of a model-based workflow, including building up a digital twin of a robot using mechanical and electrical modeling up to control algorithm deployment on the hardware.

Participants will work directly with the tools, explore a model, run simulations, and tweak algorithm parameters to get an intuitive feel for how theory translates into working robotic behavior. Along the way, we will cover best practices for structuring your models, validating designs early, and reusing the same artifacts from simulation through to deployment.

Please register at: https://forms.gle/x7Zns222Hrbuz7L48 

We hope to see many of you there!