Brain Dynamics Toolbox

Open software for simulating dynamical systems in neuroscience


The Brain Dynamics Toolbox is open-source matlab software for simulating bespoke dynamical systems in neuroscience and beyond. Users define their system of equations as a custom matlab function. Interchangeable solvers and plotting tools can then be applied to that system with no additional programming effort.

The Brain Dynamics Toolbox in action

Differential Equations

The toolbox solves initial-value problems in Ordinary Differential Equations (ODEs), Delay Differential Equations (DDEs), Stochastic Differential Equations (SDEs) and Partial Differential Equations (PDEs).

Example user-defined ODE

Combinatorial Power

The hub-and-spoke architecture allows unlimited combinations of display panels and numerical solvers to be applied to any model at run-time.

Hub-and-Spoke Software Architecture

Programmable Controls

The graphical controls can be manipulated from the matlab workspace to semi-automate parameter surveys. Fully automated simulations can be scripted with the toolbox’s command-line tools.

Workspace Commands

Official Handbook

Handbook for the Brain Dynamics Toolbox

Online Courses

Toolbox Basics Course Modellers Workshop

Community Collection

Users can share their models on the Community Collection hosted by Zenodo. All uploads are citeable.

Zenodo


First Prize Winner, Dynamical Systems 2018 Software Contest.

Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM), Postdoc / Junior Faculty Category.

Honourable Mention, Dynamical Systems 2019 Software Tutorials Contest.

Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM), Postdoc / Junior Faculty Category.

“A fantastic (and open) resource for all interested in simulating dynamical systems in neuroscience”

— Prof Olaf Sporns, Co-director of the Indiana University Network Science Institute.

“This easy-to-use toolbox has greatly enhanced the modelling work we do in our lab”

— Prof Alex Fornito, Co-director of the Brain & Mental Health Research Hub, Monash University.

“Frees students of the implementation burden and allows me to teach the dynamical concepts”

— Dr Ben D Fulcher, Senior Lecturer in the School of Physics, The University of Sydney.

“An intuitive and insightful platform for modelling any dynamical system”

— Dr Darragh Walsh, Postdoctoral Researcher, DCU Insight.

“A great way to get into modeling and understanding the dynamics you thought you understood!”

— Dr Fran Hancock, Postdoctoral Researcher, Kings College London.

“I love the Brain Dynamics Toolbox. Very intuitive way of understanding dynamical systems and exploring bifurcations!”

— Caglar Cakan, PhD student, Neural Information Processing Group, Technische Universitat Berlin.