Masters Thesis

Math equation reader

Mathematical equations are composed of signs, symbols and patterns. Screen readers designed for text can have trouble speaking equations in a way that makes sense to listeners. To make printed mathematic equations speak-able by a screen reader, the equations must be parsed and algorithms used to make the aural version of the equation understandable. This thesis describes an implementation of a MS Word Add-in to convert mathematical expressions from a form used, say, by a book publisher, into a linear form that can be spokenby a screen reader. This involved recognizing patterns of Unicode symbols, matching them with pattern templates, and then creating text representations of the resulting expression so a screen reader can read it. We hope this will be valuable for all users of mathematics, including us with visual impairments or learning disabilities.

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