How to import a (MATLAB) .mat file into Python?

'''This code shows how to import .mat file (MATLAB format) into dictionary using scipy.io'''

# First we will import the scipy.io

import scipy.io

# load .mat file into dictionary x

x = scipy.io.loadmat('/home/bot/Dropbox/course_work/python_study/fMRI_basic/easymatfile.mat')

# easymatfile.mat contains 3 matlab variables

# a: [10x30]

# b: [20x100]

# c: [1x1]

# in order to get a, b and c we say

pyA = x['a']

pyB = x['b']

pyC = x['c']

# Now we want plot the figures

from pylab import *

from matplotlib import *

matshow(pyA,1)

matshow(pyB,2)

matshow(pyC,3)

# Now, we will show all three figures

show()

>>> x

{'a': some 10x30 array ,

  'c': array([[ 1.2]]),

  'b': some 20 x 100 array,

  '__header__': 'MATLAB 5.0 MAT-file, Platform: GLNXA64, Created on: Wed Aug 29 20:19:01 2012',

  '__globals__': [],

  '__version__': '1.0'}