Automated production of Braille textbooks
at the
Headquarters of the National Federation of the Blind
in
Baltimore, Maryland
organized by
Michael Cantino, Alexei Kolesnikov, Al Maneki, Martha Siegel, and Volker Sorge
This workshop, sponsored by AIM, NFB, and the NSF, is intended to extend the availability of mathematics textbooks in Braille to students and professionals who are visually challenged. The goal is to produce mathematical text accurately, inexpensively, and in a timely manner by developing a user-friendly software workflow using open-source software to automatically translate mathematical text to Braille ready for embossing. Particular attention will be given to the production of large formulas and tactile versions of graphs and diagrams.
Specific goals for this workshop are:
- Accurate translation of both mathematics and literary text into Braille
including challenging objects like matrices, tables, and large formulas.
- Develop pathways towards automating the production of raised graphics.
- Create an easy and accessible workflow for both authors and end users.
- Envision a "path to market" for adoption by universities and publishers.
The workshop is appropriate for authors, software developers, accessibility specialists, and members of the publishing industry.
This event will be run as an AIM-style workshop. Participants will be invited to suggest open problems and questions before the workshop begins, and these will be posted on the workshop website. These include specific problems on which there is hope of making some progress during the workshop, as well as more ambitious problems which may influence the future activity of the field. Lectures at the workshop will be focused on familiarizing the participants with the background material leading up to specific problems, and the schedule will include discussion and parallel working sessions.
For more information email workshops@aimath.org
