394<langstring xml:lang="en">Universal Math Conversion Library (UMCL) - at @Science workshop Access to Science for Blind and Visually Impaired</langstring><p>UMCL is a programming library encapsulating various converters for different Braille codes and which enables developers of applications designed for visually<br />
impaired people to easily support multiple Braille Mathematical notations. To make this possible without increasing the complexity an architecture based<br />
on a MathML (Presentation MathML) as the central representation of the formula was developed. This architecture is quite simple. It includes a main module<br />
and as many input and output modules as there are Maths codes available. Input and output modules are independent and can be installed later on. The main<br />
module detects the available input and output modules and calls the modules needed to perform the conversions according to requests. In other words it<br />
is possible to add input or output modules to any application using UMCL, at any time a module becomes available. Designers of client applications can<br />
use it easily through a simple and unique API. UMCL was developed in standard portable ”C” with wrappers to various other programming languages. Currently<br />
output modules have been developed for the French notations (revisions 1971 and 2001), for the Italian notation, for the Marburg notation (German) and<br />
for Nemeth code (American English). A beta version for the British code is also already available. Input modules for LATEXand Marburg Braille are also<br />
under development. The library can be used just as well with transcription tools (from mainstream notations to Braille and vice versa) as with software<br />
that needs real-time conversions (like formula browsers or editors). It also makes converting a document from one national Braille notation to another<br />
possible, increasing de facto the number of documents available for students and allowing blind mathematicians from different countries to exchange documents.<br />
UMCL is an open-source project.</p>
LOMv1.0authorBEGIN:VCARD
FN:Dominique Archambault
EMAIL;INTERNET:dominique.archambault@upmc.fr
ORG:Pierre et Marie Curie Université
END:VCARDMP312143298LOMv1.215 minutesLOMv1.2NoLOMv1.2No