Define some sample points and calculate the value of a trigonometric function at those locations. These points are the sample values for the interpolant.

t = linspace(3/4*pi,2*pi,50)';
x = [3*cos(t); 2*cos(t); 0.7*cos(t)];
y = [3*sin(t); 2*sin(t); 0.7*sin(t)];
v = repelem([-0.5; 1.5; 2],length(t));

Create the interpolant.

F = scatteredInterpolant(x,y,v);

Evaluate the interpolant at query locations (xq,yq).

tq = linspace(3/4*pi+0.2,2*pi-0.2,40)';
xq = [2.8*cos(tq); 1.7*cos(tq); cos(tq)];
yq = [2.8*sin(tq); 1.7*sin(tq); sin(tq)];
vq = F(xq,yq);

Plot the result.

plot3(x,y,v,'.',xq,yq,vq,'.'), grid on
title('Linear Interpolation')
xlabel('x'), ylabel('y'), zlabel('Values')
legend('Sample data','Interpolated query data','Location','Best')

Create an interpolant for a set of scattered sample points, then evaluate the interpolant at a set of 3-D query points.

Define 200 random points and sample a trigonometric function. These points are the sample values for the interpolant.

rng default;
P = -2.5 + 5*rand([200 3]);
v = sin(P(:,1).^2 + P(:,2).^2 + P(:,3).^2)./(P(:,1).^2+P(:,2).^2+P(:,3).^2);

Create the interpolant.

F = scatteredInterpolant(P,v);

Evaluate the interpolant at query locations (xq,yq,zq).

[xq,yq,zq] = meshgrid(-2:0.25:2);
vq = F(xq,yq,zq);

Plot slices of the result.

xslice = [-.5,1,2]; 
yslice = [0,2]; 
zslice = [-2,0];
slice(xq,yq,zq,vq,xslice,yslice,zslice)

Replace the elements in the Values property when you want to change the values at the sample points. You get immediate results when you evaluate the new interpolant because the original triangulation does not change.

Create 50 random points and sample an exponential function. These points are the sample values for the interpolant.

rng('default')
x = -2.5 + 5*rand([50 1]);
y = -2.5 + 5*rand([50 1]);
v = x.*exp(-x.^2-y.^2);

Create the interpolant.

F = scatteredInterpolant(x,y,v)

F = 
  scatteredInterpolant with properties:

                 Points: [50x2 double]
                 Values: [50x1 double]
                 Method: 'linear'
    ExtrapolationMethod: 'linear'

Evaluate the interpolant at (1.40,1.90).

F(1.40,1.90)

ans = 0.0069

Change the interpolant sample values and reevaluate the interpolant at the same point.

vnew = x.^2 + y.^2;
F.Values = vnew;
F(1.40,1.90)

ans = 5.6491

Compare the results of several different interpolation algorithms offered by scatteredInterpolant.

Create a sample data set of 50 scattered points. The number of points is artificially small to highlight the differences between the interpolation methods.

x = -3 + 6*rand(50,1);
y = -3 + 6*rand(50,1);
v = sin(x).^4 .* cos(y);

Create the interpolant and a grid of query points.

F = scatteredInterpolant(x,y,v);
[xq,yq] = meshgrid(-3:0.1:3);

Plot the results using the 'nearest', 'linear', and 'natural' methods. Each time the interpolation method changes, you need to requery the interpolant to get the updated results.

F.Method = 'nearest';
vq1 = F(xq,yq);
plot3(x,y,v,'mo')
hold on
mesh(xq,yq,vq1)
title('Nearest Neighbor')
legend('Sample Points','Interpolated Surface','Location','NorthWest')

F.Method = 'linear';
vq2 = F(xq,yq);
figure
plot3(x,y,v,'mo')
hold on
mesh(xq,yq,vq2)
title('Linear')
legend('Sample Points','Interpolated Surface','Location','NorthWest')

F.Method = 'natural';
vq3 = F(xq,yq);
figure
plot3(x,y,v,'mo')
hold on
mesh(xq,yq,vq3)
title('Natural Neighbor')
legend('Sample Points','Interpolated Surface','Location','NorthWest')

Plot the exact solution.

figure
plot3(x,y,v,'mo')
hold on
mesh(xq,yq,sin(xq).^4 .* cos(yq))
title('Exact Solution')
legend('Sample Points','Exact Surface','Location','NorthWest')

Query an interpolant at a single point outside the convex hull using nearest neighbor extrapolation.

Define a matrix of 200 random points and sample an exponential function. These points are the sample values for the interpolant.

rng('default')
P = -2.5 + 5*rand([200 2]);
x = P(:,1);
y = P(:,2);
v = x.*exp(-x.^2-y.^2);

Create the interpolant, specifying linear interpolation and nearest neighbor extrapolation.

F = scatteredInterpolant(P,v,'linear','nearest')

F = 
  scatteredInterpolant with properties:

                 Points: [200x2 double]
                 Values: [200x1 double]
                 Method: 'linear'
    ExtrapolationMethod: 'nearest'

Evaluate the interpolant outside the convex hull.

vq = F(3.0,-1.5)

vq = 0.0029

Disable extrapolation and evaluate F at the same point.

F.ExtrapolationMethod = 'none';
vq = F(3.0,-1.5)

vq = NaN