[Blindmath] Braille to ASCII Conversion Problems

[Rasmussen, Lloyd]

Here's my take on some of the history behind this question.

The Nemeth Code was first adopted by the American braille committees in 1952, and was substantially revised in 1965 and 1972.  A new version,, NUBS or Nemeth Uniform Braille System is being tested today.  Dr. Nemeth is still alive; I met him last weekend at the NFB Research and Development Committee meeting.

Around 1970, a new company called Triformation Systems (later to become Enabling Technologies) was formed to build a device that at first produced braille on paper tape, which soon evolved into a fast page embosser, the LED-120.  ASCII had only been standardized in about 1968; there were several different computer character codes before that.  Curtis Willoughby says that he advised the Triformation engineers on how best to translate ASCII to braille, and he based his recommendations on the existing Nemeth code.  Already, there were far too many Nemeth symbols to accurately map them all directly to single-cell braille forms.  There are other people who remember the history of the North American braille code, or MIT code, a little differently.  Across Europe there are several different mappings between ASCII and braille, which must all be built into screen readers and braille notetakers being sold in the various countries.

So the Nemeth system came before these braille-to-ASCII mappings were developed, and people didn't even think much about standardization until the 1980s, when these devices began to be capable of communicating with each other.  

I don't think that too many people on this listserv are using the Neme-Tex program, so they won't be familiar with its quirks or its current state of development.  

Lloyd Rasmussen, Senior Project Engineer
National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped
Library of Congress   202-707-0535
http://www.loc.gov/nls
The preceding opinions are my own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Library of Congress, NLS.



-----Original Message-----
From: blindmath-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindmath-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Jose Tamayo
Sent: Thursday, February 09, 2012 7:39 AM
To: 'Blind Math list for those interested in mathematics'
Subject: Re: [Blindmath] Results of Using the Perkins

I am curious: what is the real difference between Nemeth Code and computer braille?  If you enter dots using either QWERTY or the BrailleNote, you can successfully have Nemeth braille displayed on the BrailleNote.  I have used my BrailleNote in the past to display Computer Braille which was typed using my knowledge of Nemeth Code.  I guess what I am stating is that as long as you type in the Nemeth codes using your 6 dot knowledge of Nemeth Braille, it will display on the BrailleNote.

Please let me know which BrailleNote you are using:  I am still using the BrailleNote MPower BT 32 


Regards,
Jose  


-----Original Message-----
From: blindmath-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindmath-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Joseph Lee
Sent: Wednesday, February 08, 2012 4:27 PM
To: Blind Math list for those interested in mathematics
Subject: Re: [Blindmath] Results of Using the Perkins

Hi,
Yes - either computer braille needs to be used, or grade 2 version must be used when reading.  There's no Nemeth support on any screen readers out there for now.
Also, if the student enters his expressions, he must use computer braille.
As for setting up a BN with JAWS, I'd rather leave it up to BrailleNote List to figure it out (because we need details about your student's unit).
Cheers,
Joseph

 ----- Original Message -----
From: "Sharon Clark" <sharonjackson03 at comcast.net
To: "'Blind Math list for those interested in mathematics'"<blindmath at nfbnet.org
Date sent: Wed, 8 Feb 2012 15:43:28 -0500
Subject: Re: [Blindmath] Results of Using the Perkins

It can, but the math will not appear in Nemeth code if this is what you want.

Sharon

-----Original Message-----
From: blindmath-bounces at nfbnet.org
[mailto:blindmath-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Julian, Kate
Sent: Wednesday, February 08, 2012 1:08 PM
To: 'Blind Math list for those interested in mathematics'
Subject: Re: [Blindmath] Results of Using the Perkins

I didn't know the bn can act as a display from the computer, that is interesting.

kj

-----Original Message-----
From: blindmath-bounces at nfbnet.org
[mailto:blindmath-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Alex Hall
Sent: Wednesday, February 08, 2012 12:01 PM
To: Blind Math list for those interested in mathematics
Subject: Re: [Blindmath] Results of Using the Perkins

Why not use the computer straight away, with the brailleNote as a display?
This, of course, assumes the screen reader supports the bn.

On 2/8/12, Julian, Kate <KJulian at bluevalleyk12.org> wrote:
 OK, so picture this, my student is sitting next to me, his BrailleNote  is in his lap as his calculator (he has agreed that he will use the  computer's calculator instead), the computer monitor and keyboard in  front of him so he can key in his work and answers.  The Perkins is  also on the desk along with the necessary paper.  Then there is the  braille version of the test, his brailled test answers, and now he is trying to make test corrections.
YIKES!
 We found that he did complete his algebra better using the Perkins and then transferring his answers to Word so we can read them.  But this  method is tedious.  I am looking at LiveMath Maker and Scientific  Notebook.  Thank you everybody for your suggestions!

 Have a great day - Kate



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