[Nfb-science] . Re: Math and physics in Bookshare Books

[Chelsea Cook]

Hi Lu,

I’m sorry no one has gotten back to you on the Bookshare and equations thing. Since Bookshare’s Braille collection is in BRF format, there is no way to transfer graphics or diagrams. Equations are also extremely problematic. Benetech knows about this problem, but they also recognize their current technological limitations. So, maybe one day, but equations are not accessible today unless they are very simple.

There are a couple of ways I’ve gotten around this problem, though, like anything, it is a bit hacked together and requires more effort. If I need to read up on a subject whose mathematical content I’ve never encountered before, I’ll try going to Wikipedia (where there are LateX equations aplenty) or a video, and fill in the gaps from there. I have found, however, that if you are comfortable enough with a subject or its applications, you can generally figure out what the math is saying. For example, I downloaded a spacecraft systems engineering text the other day. In the chapter on orbital mechanics, I was able to follow along reasonably well because I’d taken a course on that subject and my physics knowledge allowed me to locate the point where the author was starting his derivation. In one sense, you have to do a lot of the work yourself, and this is extremely frustrating. But that’s another reason I’m glad I have the undergrad experience I do, for times like this. If you want to know the subject badly enough, you will find a way to work around the inaccessible rendering of equations.

Chelsea