Since we’re almost at the end of the year, I thought it would be interesting to look back at our most popular webinars for academics in 2015. I found that they fell into one of two categories: live streaming webinars featuring Dr. Robert Lopez and Maple how-to tutorials.  (If you missed the live presentation, you can watch the recordings of all these webinars below.)

The first and second most popular webinar were, unsurprisingly, both of the live streaming webinars that featured Dr. Robert Lopez (Emeritus Professor at Rose Hulman Institute of Technology and Maple Fellow at Maplesoft). These webinars were streamed live to an audience and allowed many people to get their first glimpse of the man behind the Clickable Calculus series and Teaching Concepts with Maple:

1.       Eigenpairs Enlivened

In this webinar, Dr. Robert Lopez demonstrates how Maple can enhance the task of teaching the eigenpair concept, and shows how Maple bridges the gap between the concept and the algorithms by which students are expected to practice finding eigenpairs.

2.       Resequencing Concepts and Skills via Maple's Clickable

In this webinar, Dr. Lopez presents examples of what "resequencing" looks like when implemented with Maple's point-and-click syntax-free paradigm. Not only can Maple be used to elucidate the concept, but in addition, it can be used to illustrate and implement the manipulations that ultimately the student must master.

The next three were all brief webinars on how to complete specific tasks in Maple 2015. Just under a dozen of these were created in 2015 and they were all quite popular, but these three stood out above the rest:

3.       Working with Data Sets in Maple

This video walks through examples of working with several types of data in Maple, including visualizing stock and commodity data, forecasting future temperatures using weather data, and analyzing macroeconomic data, such as employment statistics, GDP and other economic indicators.

4.       Custom Color Schemes in Maple

This webinar provides an overview of the colorscheme option for coloring surfaces, curves and collections of points in Maple, including how to color with gradients, according to function value or point position. Examples of how the colorscheme option is used with various commands from the Maple library are also demonstrated.

 5.       Working with Units in Maple

Maple 2015 allows for more fluid and natural interaction with units. This webinar provides an overview of the new unit formatting controls and new Temperature object, and demonstrates how to compute with units and tolerances.

Are there any topics you’d like to see Robert cover in upcoming webinars? Or, any Maple how-to videos you think would be a helpful addition to our library? Let us know in the comments below!

Kim

As some of you have previously mentioned, we have seen an increase in the amount of spam on MaplePrimes over the past few months. We recently took steps to improve it in a recent update that has so far proven helpful, and have also increased our behind-the-scenes efforts to proactively remove and block spam accounts.

Today we made a couple of additional minor changes to member profiles that should help further. Specifically, members can no longer enter HTML tags in the biography, 'technical interests/fields', and 'other interests' sections within their profiles. Spammers were co-opting these areas to create links back to their sites, and it is our hope that MaplePrimes will become much less attractive to them now that the capability has been removed.

In addition, we de-activated a large number of accounts (with 0 reputation) that were using these fields for spam. Prior to taking this action, we reviewed the records we were deactivating, and did not see any evidence of legitimate members. However, there is a small chance that we blocked a legitimate account in the process of doing this. If this has occurred to you, please accept my apologies and send an e-mail to custservice@maplesoft.com and we will reactivate it quickly.

I hope that in the future if mapleprimes ever does another overhaul that it does NOT do what has recently been done at the mathematica forum I just came across. http://community.wolfram.com/groups/-/m/t/744097?p_p_auth=AfGyGp7X

Mapleprimes has endured a forum change from primes1 to primes2(current forum) and all posts/questions have for the most part remained intact, and have been repaired or fixed by the developers if pointed out .. thumbs up for Maplesoft and Mapleprimes developers for retaining all forum data.  Most posts that didn't have a home were simply relocated, but are still accessible.

In the case for mathematica, a whole student forum was removed and is being scrutinized, and decided by mathematica developers whether or not the post should be put back into the forum (currently none of the posts have been restored).  I would think that would be most dissappointing from any user standpoint. 

Um den Studierenden zu helfen, deren Mathematikkenntnisse nicht auf dem von Studienanfängern erwarteten Niveau waren, hat die TU Wien einen Auffrischungskurs mit Maple T.A. entwickelt.  Die vom Team der TU Wien ausgearbeiteten Fragen zu mathematischen Themen wie der Integralrechnung, linearen Funktionen, der Vektoranalysis, der Differentialrechnung und der Trigonometrie, sind in die Maple T.A. Cloud übernommen worden.  Außerdem haben wir diesen Inhalt als Kursmodul zur Verfügung gestellt.

Laden Sie das Kursmodul der TU Wien herunter.

Bei Interesse können Sie mehr über das Projekt der TU Wien in diesem Anwenderbericht lesen: Erfolgreiches Auffrischen von Mathematikkenntnissen an der Technischen Universität Wien mit Maple T.A.

Jonny
Maplesoft Product Manager, Maple T.A.

Off to the right of mapleprimes we have Recent Questions/Maplesoft Blog Posts/Recent Posts and Active Conversations.

I propose to have the category Workarounds added. 

There are two instances I can think of that would be beneficial for Maple users that would belong here.  The most recent one http://www.mapleprimes.com/posts/201844-Possible-Bug-In-Maple- and one regarding issues adding the dissipative term to the heat equations http://www.mapleprimes.com/questions/97391-Whats-Wrong-With-Maple-Solution

Users of older versions of Maple or even current Maple versions not yet updated would find this quite useful. 

There are some great comments and replies by users that are worth upvoting.   Also choosing as best answer to some posts that were converted from questions would also be helpful here at mapleprimes.

Here's a simple package for drawing knot diagrams and computing the Alexander polynomial. A typical usage case for the AlexanderPolynomial function is when a knot needs to be identified and only a visual representation of the knot is available. Then it's trivial to write down the Dowker sequence by hand and then the sequence can be used as an input for this package. The KnotDiagram function also takes the Dowker sequence as an input.

TorusKnot(p, q) and PretzelKnot(p, q, r) are accepted as an input as well and can also be passed to the DowkerNotation function.

The algorithm is fairly simple, it works as follows: represent each double point as a quadrilateral (two 'in' vertices and two 'out' vertices); connect the quads according to the Dowker specification; draw the result as a planar graph; erase the sides of each quad and draw its diagonals instead. This draws the intersections corresponding to the double points and guarantees that there are no other intersections. The knot polynomial is then computed from the diagram.

The diagrams work fairly well for pretzel knots, but for certain knots they can be difficult to read because some of the quads around the double points can become too small or too skewed. Also, the code doesn't check that the generated quadrilaterals are convex (which is an implicit assumption in the algorithm).

knot.txt

knot.mw

Download knot.mw

knot.txt

Mapleprimes should have an option to sort Mapleprimes by the date of the original poster.

The Maple 2015.2 update is now available for Windows and Linux users. It provides official support for Windows 10, connectivity to the latest MATLAB release, support for MapleSim 2015.2, updates to Physics, and a variety of small improvements throughout the product.  It is available through the Check for Updates system, and is also available from our website on the Maple 2015.2 download page.

The Mac update will be released as soon as we have finished fixing the problems on Mac OS X 10.11. We’re working on it.

eithne

We have just released a major update to MapleSim 2015. MapleSim 2015.2 provides a variety of enhancements that make it even easier to create, simulate, and analyze your multidomain, system-level models, including:

• Advanced diagnostic tools that help you identify the source of problems in your models and simulations, and improve their efficiency and robustness
• Over 50 new components in the magnetic, thermal, electrical, and signal block libraries
• A new connections manager that makes it easier to keep track of connections and port variables
• And more! See What’s New in MapleSim 2015.2 for more information about these and other improvements in MapleSim.

We have also updated and expanded the MapleSim 2015 family of products:

• The new MapleSim CAD Toolbox, which is available as a separate product, helps engineers understand and improve their mechanical designs by making it easy to import CAD models directly into MapleSim and understand how they behave as part of a larger system.
• MapleSim Connector, for connectivity with Simulink®, and the MapleSim Connector for FMI both generate code that provides more detailed run-time error reporting to assist in trouble-shooting on the target platform
• Updates to the specialized component libraries MapleSim Battery Library,  MapleSim Driveline Library, and MapleSim Tire Library provide improved modeling power and scope

This update is being distributed through the automatic Check for Updates system, and is also available from our website. See MapleSim 2015.2  for details on obtaining this update. This new MapleSim release is available immediately on Windows and Linux, with a Mac version following in the coming days. 

eithne

Has anyone tried to run the following in Maple command-line mode (i.e. in terminal window, type "maple" to start it without the graphic interface),

"

expr1:=t1+t2+t3+t4+t5+t6+t7+t8+t9+t10+t11+t12+t13+t14+t15+t16+t17+t18+t19+t20+t21+t22+t0-t0+t23;
expr2:=t1+t2+t3+t4+t5+t6+t7+t8+t9+t10+t11+t12+t13+t14+t15+t16+t17+t18+t19+t20+t21+t22+t0-t0+t23;
print(expr1-expr2);

"

Surprisingly, I didn't get "0" with my Maple 17 (under Linux platform) or 18 (under Mac OSX platform). Can anyone help me confirm this?

As an Arts major at the University of Waterloo, my first day as a co-op student in the Maplesoft marketing department was a bit of a blur. I was hearing a lot of mathematical jargon that I did not understand. Other than a mandatory statistics class in my second year at university, I haven’t taken a math course since high school, over two years ago. I spent my first week as the marketing assistant educating myself about the basics of marketing complex math software. My favourite method for doing this was to read through the Maplesoft user stories. As I read, I was amazed by the variety of customers and the endless applications that Maplesoft products had contributed to. It became apparent that math is a part of every industry and it is in the design of many products. There were a few stories from the robotics industry in particular that really sparked my interest in the software that I now market. 

We’ve all seen the futuristic movies where robots gradually get smarter and smarter, developing enough intelligence to control the human race, and eventually, take over the world. As it turns out, Engineered Arts, a UK robotics company, is bringing us one step closer to that reality. Well… they’re maybe not ready for world domination just yet, but they are working on one of the most advanced and human-like robots that the world has seen outside of a Hollywood production, and they are doing this using MapleSim. The first generation of the biologically inspired robot was named RoboThespian. With his ability to speak and sing, he was used to educate, entertain, and investigate new developments in robotics. However, he was largely static. That’s when the engineers began work on generation two of their robot, named Byrun, who has the ability to walk, run, jump, and hop as well as speak and sing. Byrun can even express thousands of different facial features thanks to his projective head display. This makes him even more human-like; scary or cool? I’m thinking a bit of both. If you’re interested in the story, click here to continue reading about it.

Another unexpected use of MapleSim was adopted as a joint research project between Ryerson University and McMaster University. I never would have guessed that math software could be applied to the process of human birth. Nevertheless, a group of researchers used MapleSim to simulate induced labour with a Foley Catheter. In short, this is when a small balloon is inserted through the opening of the cervix creating a downward pressure that effectively tricks the cervix into opening for labour to begin. Though the application of this story surprised me, it makes a lot of sense to use modelling software for a research project like this. It’s more efficient to get all of the kinks out of the virtual model in a simulation program before building a physical model that could end up being dysfunctional. According to Dr. James Andrew Smith, a Biomedical Engineering researcher and Assistant Professor in Electrical and Computer Engineering, who is the lead researcher on the project, “Modern engineering has a lot to offer the medical world,” especially when it saves on time and cost. Click here to read more about this story and to watch a video of the finished model.

After two months at Maplesoft, I have noticed that I don’t look at things in the same way that I used to. I find myself staring at a toaster and imagining how it was designed. Did the engineers use advanced physical simulation and modeling software to make the most efficient toaster possible? Well, if it can still only toast on one side then, my guess is no! Maplesoft has many more user stories that I haven’t had the chance to read yet. With customers ranging from BMW to Pixar, Maplesoft continues to expand its customer base and adapt its software to support more and more unique applications. I can’t wait to hear what new and unexpected things will be done with the software next!

We are looking for enthusiastic Maple users to become Maple Ambassadors, to inspire and educate others about the benefits that Maple brings to education.

As an Ambassador, you will have the opportunity to influence the development of Maple through regular meetings with Maplesoft developers, get advance news of upcoming features and products, get assistance with Maple events on your campus, and more. In return, we ask that you do what you are probably already doing – sharing your experiences with Maple, answer questions on forums (like this one!), sharing your Maple applications, providing us with feedback, etc.

You can find more information and an application form at Maple Ambassador Program. We’re looking forward to hearing from you!

Daniel

Maple Product Management

Here at Maplesoft, we like to foster innovation in technological development. Whether that is finding solutions to global warming, making medical discoveries that save millions, or introducing society to very advanced functional robots, Maplesoft is happy to contribute, support and encourage innovative people and organizations researching these complex topics. This year, we are delighted to have sponsored two contests in the robotics field that provide opportunities to think big and make an impact: Create the Future Design Contest and the International Space Apps Challenge. 

Create the Future Design Contest

Established in 2002, and organized by TechBriefs, the goal of the Create the Future Design Contest is to help engineers bring their product design ideas to life. The overall ‘mission of the contest is to benefit humanity, the environment, and the economy.’ This year, there were a record 1,159 new product ideas submitted by students, engineers, and entrepreneurs from all over the globe. In the machinery/automation/robotics category, which Maplesoft sponsored, the project with the top votes was designed by two engineers who chose to name their innovation CAP Exoskeleton, a type of assistive robotic machine designed to aid the user in walking, squatting, and carrying heavy loads over considerable distances. It can either be used to enhance physical endurance for military purposes or to help the physically impaired perform daily tasks. A contest like Create the Future is a perfect opportunity, for engineers in particular, to learn, explore, and create. 

The CAP Exoskeleton - ©2015 Create the Future Design Contest

International Space Apps Challenge

The exploration of space has always been unique in its search for knowledge. The International Space Apps Challenge, a NASA incubator innovation program, is an ‘international mass collaboration focused on space exploration that takes place over 48-hours in cities around the world’. It is a unique global competition where people rally together to find solutions to real world problems, bringing humanity closer to understanding the Earth, the universe, the human race, and robotics. These goals, the organizers believe, can be reached much faster if we combine the power of the seven billion or so brains that occupy the planet, not forgetting the six that are currently orbiting above us aboard the International Space Station. The competition is open to people of all ages and in all fields, including engineers, technologists, scientists, designers, artists, educators, students, entrepreneurs, and so on. With an astounding 13,846 participants from all over the world, several highly innovative solutions were presented. 

Maplesoft sponsored the University of York location in the UK where the winning team of five modeled an app called CropOp, a communication tool that connects the government to local farmers with the goal of providing instantaneous, crucial information regarding pest breakout warnings, extreme weather, and other important updates. This UK-based team believes the quality and quantity of food produced will be improved, especially benefiting the undernourished communities in Africa. Maplesoft supports the Space Apps Challenge because it proves that collaboration makes for bigger and better discoveries that can save millions of people.

Donating Maplesoft software for contestants to use is part of the sponsorship. The real delight is to wait and see what innovative concepts they come up with. When we sponsor contests like these, we find it benefits our software as much as it does the participants. Plus, if the contestants can provide solutions to real world issues, well, that benefits everyone! 

ABSTRACT. In this paper we demonstrate how the simulation of dynamic systems engineering has been implemented with graphics software algorithms using maple and MapleSim. Today, many of our researchers the computational modeling performed by inserting a piece of code from static work; with these packages we have implemented through the automation components of kinematics and dynamics of solids simple to complex.

It is very important to note that once developed equations study; recently we can move to the simulation; to thereby start the physical construction of the system. We will use mathematical and computational methods using the embedded buttons which lie in the dynamics leaves and viewing platform cloud of Maplesoft and power MapleNet for online evaluation of specialists in the area. Finally they will see some work done; which integrate various mechanical and computational concepts implemented for companies in real time and pattern of credibility.

Selasi_2015.pdf

(in spanish)

Lenin Araujo Castillo