SEMCAD X Matterhorn has been released following a complete overhaul of the previous version of SEMCAD X. The Matterhorn version is a cutting-edge and versatile electromagnetic simulation platform, claimed to represent the first leap into multiphysics, multiscale simulation realism in complex environments. A major improvement is the SEMCAD X Matterhorn platform upgrade to Sim4Life, making it the only multiphysics platform in life sciences.
SEMCAD X Matterhorn
Powerful solvers allow for simulations from DC to light via finite difference time domain (FDTD), conformal and finite element method (FEM) solvers. The graphical user interface (GUI) offers the capability for setting up and maintaining simulation projects with context dependence, filtering/scoping, ribbons, simultaneous multiple trees and a high level of interactivity. It is fully optimized for Microsoft Windows 8 with visual enhancements and support for external input devices (e.g., gestures, 3D mouse).
SEMCAD X Matterhorn functions as a single harmonic entity, providing ease of use and clarity when used with computational instruments. It enables drag/drop between different solvers/setups/results and offers a comprehensive materials database.
A Python scripting framework is embedded into the GUI (supported by a new editor and the Enthought engine), allowing for automation, customization and the integration of user tools without requiring extensive coding experience.
With a fast graphics processing unit (GPU) based solver, all solvers (FDTD, conformal, FEM) and meshers/voxelers are now message passing interface (MPI) parallelized, offering efficient computation. A novel task manager ensures effective utilization of high performance computing (HPC) resources. The system also supports cloud computing.
Figure 1 An example of the visually appealing handling and rendering of complex setups by SEMCAD X Matterhorn, which shows mobile phone simulations in real usage conditions.
Figure 2 Sim4Life provides powerful physics solvers and advanced tissue models for directly analyzing real world biological phenomena and complex technical devices. Here it is being used to assess the safety of pacemakers.
SEMCAD X Matterhorn provides fast and visually appealing handling and rendering of the most complex setups, image data and results (see Figure 1) using a combination of the company’s own 3D OpenGL rendering engine QTech and the VTK package.
Sim4Life
Sim4Life is a powerful multiphysics simulation platform for constructing and simulating complex and predictive computational models of real-world phenomena in life sciences, medicine and medical technology. The platform provides industry and academia with all the in silico tools necessary for designing and optimizing medical devices and treatments, assessing safety and efficacy, enriching personalized medicine strategies and conducting biomedical research.
It combines computable high-resolution human phantoms with powerful physics solvers and advanced tissue models to directly analyze biological real world phenomena and complex technical devices in a validated biological and anatomical environment (see Figure 2). The Sim4Life platform also offers leading performance with all the features expected from a multiphysics CAE/TCAD platform.
Figure 3 Sim4Life solvers are specifically developed for highly complex problems in computational life sciences. The illustration shows vascular flow in a blood vessel with an aneurysm.
The platform natively supports the Virtual Population ViP 3.0 models that include integrated posing and morphing tools. Other publicly available animal and human anatomical models are also supported, and all tissues are linked to a continually updated physical properties database.
The powerful Sim4Life solvers are specifically developed for complex computational problems, as shown in Figure 3. Most kernels are HPC accelerated, running on the latest computer clusters and are smoothly integrated into an advanced coupling framework. The current platform includes different solvers for EM, thermal and flow, with acoustics coming soon.
The integrated tissue models offer the unique ability to model and analyze physiological processes, with perfusion, tissue damage and neuronal models.
The Sim4Life Framework efficiently facilitates all steps in complex multiphysics modeling, from defining the problem, discretizing, simulating and analyzing, to visualizing the results with clarity and flexibility.
Schmid & Partner Engineering
AG (SPEAG)/Zurich MedTech AG (ZMT), Zürich, Switzerland
www.speag.com
www.zurichmedtech.com