PsiLAB
Scientific and numeric research software environment

What is PsiLAB

PsiLAB has been developed for scientific research and data analysis. It is freely distributed in source code format under Gnu Public License, version 2. PsiLAB is written mainly in the functional language O'CaML developed at INRIA research laboratories. It's mainly made of three parts:

1. An interpreter, of course O'CaML itself
2. libraries written in O'CaML,
3. external libraries written in Fortran and C.
   

Main features of PsiLAB are:

• All O'CaML functions and data types are supported,
• support for different data types: float, int, complex
• extensive matrix package
• 2D and 3D plot package with graphical or postscript output
• various generic and special mathematical functions
• linear algebra package (solving of linear equation systems and linear least square problems)
• Linear Regression
• non linear least square fit routines
• Fast Fourier Transformations
• some image processing functions
• online help system, easily extensible by user functions
• easy to extend for people knowing basics about the O'CaML C extension facilities

PsiLAB uses the following external libraries, mainly written in Fortran:

• LAPACK: Linear algebra and linear least square problems
• MINPACK: Non linear least square fits
• PLPLOT: 2D and 3D plot library with several output drivers (X11, PS, Xfig,...)
• FFTW: Fastest Fourier Transform in the West (and the East ?)
• AMOS: Several special functions: Bessel Polynomials and more ...
• SLATEC (partially implemented): More special functions (Gamma function,...)
• CamlImages (partially implemented): Support for various image formats

PsiLAB is not only written in O'CaML, it is CaML. That means: if you are familar with this programming language, you can write PsiLAB programs. And you can do all things with PsiLAB you can do with the generic O'CaML development system:

• using modules for access to data base servers
• creating new develop environments
• writing lexers and parsers (perhaps with mathematical background)
• more sophisticated image processing
• http servers (with direct access to your computation results ?)
• and many more ...

The CaML interpreter system, which is in reality a pure compiler concept, was chosen because of the high computation speed of this system and the high portability. You have the advantages of an interpreter like language (from the user point of view), but with performance comparable with C/C++ programs. All functions will be translated by the CaML compiler into a system and machine independent Byte Code. This Byte Code will be then executed on a virtual machine. Currently, you have a terminal driven environement with online help. Plots are printed to an additional X11 window or to a postscript file.

Source code

There are currently two versions available in source code form:

• The old version 1.0 : psilab-1.0-**
• The new version 2.0: psilab-2.0-**

both available from the download directory, here.

Documentation

There are currently two documents available:

• Introduction to PsiLAB
• Reference manual
• Frequently Asked Questions

all available from the download directory, here.

Other WWW resources

• SourceForge's PsiLAB project page
• Other scientific software based on OCaML and made by BSSLAB
• Another slightly different Psilab system [from Germany] Private Virtual Research Laboratory
• The O'Caml Link Database
• The Caml language
• Used Library links:
  • Netlib Resources
  • Linear Algebra and linear least square problems: LAPACK
  • Non linear least square problems: MINPACK
  • Mathematical library: SLATEC
  • Special functions: AMOS
  • 2D and 3D plot library with several output devices (hosted on SourceForge, too): PLPLOT
  • The fastes Foruier transformations in the West: FFTW
  • Caml Image library: CamlIMAGES

Development - About the author - Contact

PsiLAB is currently developed and maintained only by BSSLAB

You can find more informations about the author here.

You can find more informations about scientific software based on OCaML and made by BSSLAB at this location.