EV: A First Version of the Surface Evolver with a Human-Computer Interface

The Surface Evolver is a general-purpose software with which one can simulate innumerous physical experiments. Since its first release in 1989, its sole developer and maintainer K. Brakke prioritised the technical part. This made Evolver applicable in many Science Areas, but its input is only through data files and command lines. Here we present EV, the first human-computer interface for Evolver totally written in Matlab. By means of eye tracker or head mouse the user can access virtual buttons and perform simulations compatible with Evolver. Although still restricted to the numerical solution of the Plateau problem, its Matlab code is at least 90% shorter than the corresponding C-code of Evolver. This will facilitate both the maintenance and the use of EV, specially if we consider physically challenged people in academia.