[BlindMath] Mathpix versus InftyReader

Wed Jul 5 22:17:21 UTC 2023

Many thanks, again, for your extensive reply. And thank for sending it to
the entire list: I was not aware that I sent my reply to you only.

I will give the webbased version a try.

Kind regards,
Bert

On Wed, 5 Jul 2023 at 21:50, Sean Loraas <sloraas at austincc.edu> wrote:

> Bert,
> How you don't mind I'm sending this reply back to the blindmath list, in
> case others find this information helpful.
>
> Glad to hear my reply was helpful. I use a Mathpix subscription, which is
> $99 per year for a 2 person license. I do not use it with assistive
> technology, but here is some Mathpix documentation for using Mathpix with a
> screen reader:
> How to use a screen reader on a PDF with math - Mathpix (
> https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://mathpix.com/blog/how-to-use-screen-reader-on-pdf&ved=2ahUKEwj4op-msfj_AhUMlWoFHT3NCgcQFnoECA0QBQ&usg=AOvVaw0yhcVPssbwCak5AAxKoGwa
> )
>
> New accessibility features in Mathpix (
> https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://mathpix.com/blog/snip-accessibility-features&ved=2ahUKEwj4op-msfj_AhUMlWoFHT3NCgcQFnoECBAQAQ&usg=AOvVaw30a9oAEuGXyb9lw7qfp5xM
> )
>
> I'm on my phone so sorry about having to paste the entire URLs.
>
> To answer your other questions, I use the desktop versions (both Windows
> and Mac) when taking snips of math passages, which can be pasted in a wide
> variety of formats into all manner of environments. Usually Im dropping
> them into Word as Mathtype, or into the online Mathpix markup editor as
> LaTeX.  I use the web app for PDF files, and use Mathpix markup editor
> online to do as much clean up of the file as i can before exporting to MS
> Word where my workflow can continue to any of a number of formats:
>
> Braille using Mathtype in MS Word and the BANA templates for Duxbury... to
> transcribe to Nemeth in a UEB context.
>
>  For screen reader accessible files I go from Word with equations in
> either math type or equation editor to the free Central Access Reader to
> create HTML with MathML. I send students both the MS Word file (editable
> and becoming more accessible, can be read with JAWS and MS Word 365) and
> the HTML file, which is readable with a wide variety of default
> browser/screen reader combos on most platforms (windows, mac, iphone,
> android).
>
> Screen reader accessible files can also be further converted to Large
> Print in Word, or to Audio with the Central Access Reader.
>
> Finally, about copyright. There is not a copyright concern for uploading
> Pdfs to Mathpix when the sole purpose is converting content for access by
> students with documented disabilities. We do request permission from the
> publisher when we are requesting a copy of a textbook. Usually we find our
> source files for most publications through Bookshare and AccessText.
>
> Feel free to contact me if you have any more questions. Best,
> Sean Loraas
>
>  Accessibility Technician
>  Alt. Text & Media
>    Austin Community College
>    Eastview Campus
>     Office: 2140
>
>
> On Wed, Jul 5, 2023, 8:16 AM Bert Van Landeghem <
> b.vanlandeghem at sheffield.ac.uk> wrote:
>
> Many thanks for your extensive and insightful reply, Sean.
>>
>> Do you also have experience using the software itself with assistive
>> technology? And which version of the software do you use? Do you use the
>> offline version that does not require a connection to the Internet, or do
>> you have a subscription? Do you have any arrangements regarding copyrights
>> if you need to upload PDFs for conversion, or is that not an issue?
>>
>> Kind regards,
>> Bert
>>
>>
>> On Wed, 5 Jul 2023 at 14:00, Sean Loraas <sloraas at austincc.edu> wrote:
>>
>>> I can speak to the similarities between inftyreader and mathpix.  Both
>>> applications convert images of text that include technical notation into
>>> actual text and equations, in a variety of output formats like MS Word with
>>> Equation Editor or MathType equations, LaTeX, or HTML with equations in
>>> MathML/MathJax.
>>>
>>> InftyReader was the first application to be able to do this, and was the
>>> first application that enabled the automated conversion of text and math
>>> files from content that was visually readable but not accessible to screen
>>> reading software or text to speech. Prior to inftyreader I was limited by
>>> having to enter all math by hand, typing, or in rare cases copying and
>>> pasting, math from PDFs, or other formats into a word doc with MathType or
>>> equation editor, or with Scientific Notebook. The only other solutions were
>>> methods that employ equally manual input methods with other markup like
>>> LaTeX.
>>>
>>> Inftyreader made it possible to convert larger files of mixed math and
>>> text to a variety of more usable output formats that could be used to
>>> produce digital formats like audio, braille and screen reader accessible
>>> formats.  But, it was very specific about input: it needs the highest
>>> quality (400 dpi minimum, 600 recommended) tiff image files. (Adobe can be
>>> configured to output the right format). Then columns had to be separated,
>>> and all images removed.
>>>
>>> Initially MathPix was focused on the digitizing of shorter passages
>>> using the convenient snip tool to capture & convert math in literally any
>>> environment on a computer. If there is text  and/or math displayed on the
>>> monitor long enough to draw a box around, Mathpix can capture and convert
>>> it to propper text and equations. It's accurate with a wide variety of
>>> fonts, and does pretty good with low quality, to a point.
>>>
>>> Mathpix is run with nimble and responsive customer service, having
>>> contacted me early in their development to investigate our use case and
>>> develop functions that we suggested, specifically for the accessibility
>>> remediation workflow, like PDF conversion and capturing tables.
>>>
>>> With improvements for capturing PDF files, and the ability to use their
>>> Mathpix markup language as a stepping stone to learning LaTex mark-up, With
>>> regular improvements and added features,  Mathpix has completely replaced
>>> my use of inftyreader for larger files, and has become invaluable to my
>>> workflow for converting STEM course materials at scale.
>>>
>>> I believe TextHelp Equatio was built on MathPix technology, but in my
>>> experience, I found Equatio to be cost prohibitive for document
>>> remediation, but had value for students as an accommodation. Mathpix is the
>>> most versatile, user friendly, and affordable math, chemistry, technical
>>> notation OCR software that I've ever used.
>>>
>>> Sorry for such a long email. Hope that helps. Best!
>>> Sean Loraas
>>>  Accessibility Technician
>>>  Alt. Text & Media
>>>  Austin Community College
>>>  Eastview Campus
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>