Using MATLAB to Develop Standalone Graphical User Interface (GUI) Software Packages for Educational Purposes

In the institutes where laboratory facilities are not that much available, and industries are located in remote areas, Personal Computer (PC) can be used to facilitate science and engineering education. Programming and simulation tools can be used widely for preparing such a PC based setting for students. But to develop a software, toolbox or standalone applications one had to rely on C++, Visual basic, or Java. For a computer science or information technology student it is easy to program in these environments but for other science and engineering students this pose a problem since they are not familiar with these programs and require excellent programming expertise. MATLAB (MathWorks, 2009), flagship software in scientific computing, is extensively used all over the world. Particular factors that support the selection of MATLAB are: