diff --git a/modules/matlab/CMakeLists.txt b/modules/matlab/CMakeLists.txt
index b2246ab35..f13fea7ee 100644
--- a/modules/matlab/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/modules/matlab/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -50,7 +50,11 @@ ocv_add_module(matlab   BINDINGS opencv_core #TODO: does it actually NEED to dep
 # TODO: Undo this when building all modules to find python properly
 #set(HDR_PARSER_PATH ${OPENCV_MODULE_opencv_python_LOCATION}/src2)
 set(HDR_PARSER_PATH ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/../python/src2)
-prepend("-I" MEX_INCLUDES ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/include)
+
+# set mex compiler options
+prepend("-I" MEX_INCLUDE_DIRS ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/include)
+prepend("-L" MEX_LIB_DIR  ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/lib)
+set(MEX_OPTS "-largeArrayDims")
 
 if (BUILD_TESTS)
     add_subdirectory(test)
@@ -79,7 +83,7 @@ endif()
 # attempt to compile the file using mex
 message("-- Trying to compile mex file")
 execute_process(
-    COMMAND ${MATLAB_MEX_SCRIPT} ${MEX_INCLUDES} 
+    COMMAND ${MATLAB_MEX_SCRIPT} ${MEX_OPTS} ${MEX_INCLUDE_DIRS} 
             ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/test/test_compiler.cpp
     WORKING_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/src
     ERROR_VARIABLE MEX_ERROR
@@ -105,6 +109,8 @@ string(REPLACE "opencv_" "" OPENCV_MATLAB_MODULES "${OPENCV_MODULE_${the_module}
 foreach(module ${OPENCV_MATLAB_MODULES})
     if (HAVE_opencv_${module})
         list(APPEND opencv_hdrs "${OPENCV_MODULE_opencv_${module}_LOCATION}/include/opencv2/${module}.hpp")
+        prepend("-I" MEX_INCLUDE_DIRS "${OPENCV_MODULE_opencv_${module}_LOCATION}/include")
+        prepend("-l" MEX_LIBS "opencv_${module}")
     endif()
 endforeach()
 
@@ -122,8 +128,8 @@ foreach(SOURCE_FILE ${SOURCE_FILES})
   get_filename_component(FILENAME ${SOURCE_FILE} NAME_WE)
   # compile the source file using mex
   add_custom_command(TARGET opencv_matlab PRE_BUILD
-      COMMAND echo ${MATLAB_MEX_SCRIPT} ${MEX_INCLUDES}
-              ${SOURCE_FILE}
+      COMMAND ${MATLAB_MEX_SCRIPT} ${MEX_OPTS} ${MEX_INCLUDE_DIRS} 
+              ${MEX_LIB_DIR} ${MEX_LIBS} ${SOURCE_FILE}
       WORKING_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/src
   )
 endforeach()
diff --git a/modules/matlab/generator/templates/functional.cpp b/modules/matlab/generator/templates/functional.cpp
index fac3cce6b..be81daf1e 100644
--- a/modules/matlab/generator/templates/functional.cpp
+++ b/modules/matlab/generator/templates/functional.cpp
@@ -7,8 +7,9 @@
 /
 {% macro compose(fun) %}
   {# ----------- Return type ------------- #}
-  {%- if not fun.rtp|void -%} {{fun.rtp}} retval = {% endif -%}
-  cv::{{fun.name}}(
+  {%- if not fun.rtp|void -%} retval = {% endif -%}
+  {%- if fun.clss -%}inst.{%- else -%} cv:: {% endif -%}
+  {{fun.name}}(
   {#- ----------- Required ------------- -#}
   {%- for arg in fun.req -%} 
     {%- if arg.ref == '*' -%}&{%- endif -%}
@@ -34,7 +35,7 @@
   {{arg.tp}} {{arg.name}} = inputs[{{ loop.index0 }}];
   {% endfor %}
   {% for opt in fun.opt|inputs %}
-  {{opt.tp}} {{opt.name}} = (nrhs > {{loop.index0 + fun.req|inputs|length}}) ? inputs[{{loop.index0 + fun.req|inputs|length}}] : {{opt.default}};
+  {{opt.tp}} {{opt.name}} = (nrhs > {{loop.index0 + fun.req|inputs|length}}) ? ({{opt.tp}})inputs[{{loop.index0 + fun.req|inputs|length}}] : {{opt.default}};
   {% endfor %}
   {# ----------- Outputs ------------ #}
   {% for arg in fun.req|only|outputs %}
@@ -43,6 +44,9 @@
   {% for opt in fun.opt|only|outputs %}
   {{opt.tp}} {{opt.name}};
   {% endfor %}
+  {% if not fun.rtp|void %}
+  {{fun.rtp}} retval;
+  {% endif %}
 
   // call the opencv function
   // [out =] namespace.fun(src1, ..., srcn, dst1, ..., dstn, opt1, ..., optn);
diff --git a/modules/matlab/generator/templates/template_class_base.cpp b/modules/matlab/generator/templates/template_class_base.cpp
index 48ebc5083..872f563b0 100644
--- a/modules/matlab/generator/templates/template_class_base.cpp
+++ b/modules/matlab/generator/templates/template_class_base.cpp
@@ -11,11 +11,11 @@
 #include "mex.h"
 #include "bridge.hpp"
 #include <vector>
+//TODO: Standard C++ does not have an unordered_map (only C++11 and Boost)
 #include <unordered_map>
 #include <string>
 #include <opencv2/core.hpp>
-{% block includes %}
-{% endblock %}
+using namespace cv;
 
 namespace {
 
@@ -25,12 +25,7 @@ typedef std::vector<Bridge> (*)({{clss.name}}&, const std::vector<Bridge>&) Meth
 {% for function in clss.functions %}
 // wrapper for {{function.name}}() method
 std::vector<Bridge> {{function.name}}({{clss.name}}& inst, const std::vector<Bridge>& args) {
-  // setup
-
-  // invoke
   {{ functional.generate(function) }}
-
-  // setdown
 }
 
 {% endfor %}
diff --git a/modules/matlab/generator/templates/template_class_base.m b/modules/matlab/generator/templates/template_class_base.m
index 6e7bce81c..1507bbdab 100644
--- a/modules/matlab/generator/templates/template_class_base.m
+++ b/modules/matlab/generator/templates/template_class_base.m
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 % {{clss.name | upper}}
-% Matlab handle clss for OpenCV object clsses
+% Matlab handle class for OpenCV object classes
 %
 % This file was autogenerated, do not modify.
 % See LICENCE for full modification and redistribution details.
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ classdef {{clss.name}} < handle
       {{clss.name}}Bridge(this.ptr_, 'delete');
     end
 
-    {% for function in clss.functions -%}
+    {% for function in clss.functions %}
     % {{function.__str__()}}
     function varargout = {{function.name}}(this, varargin)
       [varargout{1:nargout}] = {{clss.name}}Bridge('{{function.name}}', this.ptr_, varargin{:});
diff --git a/modules/matlab/generator/templates/template_function_base.cpp b/modules/matlab/generator/templates/template_function_base.cpp
index 9f3bb7643..192af46c9 100644
--- a/modules/matlab/generator/templates/template_function_base.cpp
+++ b/modules/matlab/generator/templates/template_function_base.cpp
@@ -14,8 +14,7 @@
 #include <vector>
 #include <exception>
 #include <opencv2/{{includes}}.hpp>
-{% block includes %}
-{% endblock %}
+using namespace cv;
 
 /* 
  * {{ fun.name }}
diff --git a/modules/matlab/include/bridge.hpp b/modules/matlab/include/bridge.hpp
index 467eb1ff4..7e93e0af6 100644
--- a/modules/matlab/include/bridge.hpp
+++ b/modules/matlab/include/bridge.hpp
@@ -2,5 +2,56 @@
 #define OPENCV_BRIDGE_HPP_
 
 #include "mex.h"
+#include <opencv2/core.hpp>
+
+/*! 
+ * @class Bridge
+ * @brief Type conversion class for converting OpenCV and native C++ types
+ *
+ * Bridge provides an interface for converting between OpenCV/C++ types
+ * to Matlab's mxArray format.
+ *
+ * Each type conversion requires three operators:
+ *    // conversion from ObjectType --> Bridge
+ *    Bridge& operator=(const ObjectType&);
+ *    // implicit conversion from Bridge --> ObjectType
+ *    operator ObjectType();
+ *    // explicit conversion from Bridge --> ObjectType
+ *    ObjectType toObjectType
+ *
+ * The bridging class provides common conversions between OpenCV types,
+ * std and stl types to Matlab's mxArray format. By inheriting Bridge, 
+ * you can add your own custom type conversions.
+ *
+ * Bridge attempts to make as few assumptions as possible, however in 
+ * some cases where 1-to-1 mappings don't exist, some assumptions are necessary.
+ * In particular:
+ *  - conversion from of a 2-channel Mat to an mxArray will result in a complex
+ *    output
+ *  - conversion from multi-channel interleaved Mats will result in
+ *    multichannel planar mxArrays
+ *
+ */
+class Bridge {
+public:
+  // bridges are default constructible
+  Bridge() {}
+  virtual ~Bridge() {}
+
+  // --------------------------- mxArray --------------------------------------
+  Bridge& operator=(const mxArray* obj) {}
+  Bridge(const mxArray* obj) {}
+  mxArray* mxArray() { return NULL; }
+
+  // --------------------------- cv::Mat --------------------------------------
+  Bridge& operator=(const cv::Mat& obj) {}
+  operator cv::Mat() { return cv::Mat(); }
+  cv::Mat toMat() { return cv::Mat(); }
+
+  // ---------------------------   int   --------------------------------------
+  Bridge& operator=(const int& obj) {}
+  operator int() { return 0; }
+  int toInt() { return 0; }
+};
 
 #endif