[Blindmath] Can PDF math texts be accessed via screen reader?

Fri Apr 10 04:38:54 UTC 2009

Infty Reader imports PDF and bit map files.  The present version does an
excellent job of OCR'ing directly from PDF files.  Several years ago one got
better conversion by printing and scanning but that is no longer the case.

Conversion quality of bit maps is strongly dependent on resolution.  600 dpi
bit maps give excellent results.  Infty does not recommend using Infty
Reader on bit maps having less than 400 dpi resolution. 

John Gardner

 -----Original Message-----
From: blindmath-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindmath-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Louis Maher
Sent: Thursday, April 09, 2009 7:01 PM
To: 'Blind Math list for those interested in mathematics'
Subject: Re: [Blindmath] Can PDF math texts be accessed via screen reader?

Hello,

If I have a journal article in pdf, or any other type of electronic format,
is it necessary to print the pages, and then scan them back into the
computer for Infty to translate them?

Regards
Louis Maher

-----Original Message-----
From: blindmath-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindmath-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of P. R. Stanley
Sent: Thursday, April 09, 2009 4:47 AM
To: Blind Math list for those interested in mathematics
Subject: Re: [Blindmath] Can PDF math texts be accessed via screen reader?

"  It's not cheap at $900, but it is the only game in town."

You do not have to pay $900 for infty reader. The commandline version of the
infty reader is freely available and if anyone wants a copy feel free to
email me offlist.
Paul
At 03:07 09/04/2009, you wrote:
>Hello Richard.  The Infty Reader can do OCR of PDF and is surprisingly 
>good at getting both the math and text right.  It's not cheap at $900, 
>but it is the only game in town.
>
>See
>http://www.inftyproject.org/
>Their ChattyInfty accessible math editor has a bit of a learning curve, 
>but works well also.  Both these products are made by a university 
>research
team
>and do not have easy user-friendly interfaces.  But they do work.
>
>By the way, it is absolutely not true that you cannot access the graphs 
>and diagrams.  Look at the ViewPlus IVEO Creator Pro package.  You'll 
>need a ViewPlus embosser to make the tactile copy, but it also works 
>well.  Lots
of
>money for software and hardware, but at least today you have really 
>full access to math and science.  Wasn't tru a couple of years ago.
>http://www.viewplus.com
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: blindmath-bounces at nfbnet.org 
>[mailto:blindmath-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Richard Dinger
>Sent: Wednesday, April 08, 2009 5:05 PM
>To: BlindMath
>Subject: [Blindmath] Can PDF math texts be accessed via screen reader?
>
>Hello,
>
>Sorry, this is a bit long.
>
>I have spent most of my working career as a software engineer and 
>recently
I
>have been looking into neural networks and linear classifiers.  That 
>led to support vector machines and compact vector machines, which leads 
>to linear algebra in general.  So my initial interest/question for this 
>group was where can I find an accessible text on undergraduate level linear
algebra?
>
>I took linear algebra 40 years ago at the University of Washington, but 
>recall very little of that course.  But then that question led to what 
>may be a broader question for this group, namely, what are some solid
approaches
>to accessing mathematics texts in PDF via computer screen reader.  I
mention
>PDF texts as I see many of them offered while googling topics.
>
>When I say access I mean access to both the written text and at least 
>some access to any equations.  I understand that graphs and diagrams 
>will not be accessible, but can usually be infered from the text.
>
>I would be completely happy if equations were in some markup language 
>like La Tex as that can eventually be understood.
>
>Are there any commercial products that can convert text and equations 
>to some other format such as word?
>
>Finally, is pursuing PDF a fools errand?
>
>I will post on a different thread regarding La Tex.
>
>Richard
>_______________________________________________
>Blindmath mailing list
>Blindmath at nfbnet.org
>http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindmath_nfbnet.org
>To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>Blindmath:
>http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindmath_nfbnet.org/john.gardner
>%40o
r
>st.edu
>
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>Blindmath mailing list
>Blindmath at nfbnet.org
>http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindmath_nfbnet.org
>To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
>Blindmath:
>http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindmath_nfbnet.org/prstanley%40
>ntlw
orld.com

_______________________________________________
Blindmath mailing list
Blindmath at nfbnet.org
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindmath_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
Blindmath:
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindmath_nfbnet.org/ljmaher%40swbell.
net

_______________________________________________
Blindmath mailing list
Blindmath at nfbnet.org
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindmath_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
Blindmath:
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindmath_nfbnet.org/john.gardner%40or
st.edu