Digitization Of The Book: A Report On Present Trends

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• 7. The New Publishing Paradigm
• 7.5 Issues in E-text Production
• 7.6 Multimedia Format
• 7.6.1 CDPlus
• 7.6.2 Mathematics & Science
• 7.6.3 AsTeR
• 7.6.4 Unified Braille Code
• 7.6.5 DotsPlus
• 7.6.6 Purdue Project
• 7.7 Virtual Tactile
• 7.7.1 Haptic Diagram Project
• 7.7.2 Tactile Project

7. The New Publishing Paradigm

7.5 Issues in E-text Production

Production standards are required to make e-text documents structure consistent, so the reader can reasonably navigate through a book without having to interpret complex text formatting such as tables, images, columns and other structural devices that slow down access. The issue of proprietary versus non-proprietary format is particularly critical at this time. Proprietary formats generally require special operating software in order to access files, like Book Manager for example. Readers with Book Manager software can read Book Manager titles. Readers will benefit more from the use of non-proprietary formats, but some producers feel this is ultimately a more complex issue, due to copyright concerns. It is critical for producers to be aware of these issues and the long range impact they will have.

7.6 Multimedia Format

Some blindness organizations are viewing the multimedia book as the next major goal in alternate format information delivery. Marrying electronic text, recorded voice, and images, it has the potential to be universally accessible to blind computer users. It gives the reader the flexibility of choosing how to read the book, because one multimedia book on a compact disc can be accessed through a braille display, synthesized voice, large print screen, hard copy braille printed by the reader, and audio playback of recorded voice -- on the computer or a standard CD player.

7.6.1 CDPlus

CDPlus is a mixed mode CD which, when played on a standard CD player will play the audio portion of the CD, and which, when played on a computer, will play both the text and the audio. As ASCII text does not require extensive storage space, it is possible to integrate both recorded voice and electronic text. Approximately 60 minutes of recorded audio plus ASCII text including key links to the audio can be contained on one disc. The most significant limitation of CDPlus is the small amount of material which can be contained on each disc (a 20 hour audio textbook would require 20 CDPlus discs).

To summarize, the greatest challenges in creating a multimedia book for print handicapped readers are the enormous size of digitized audio files and the need to cross reference to electronic text to provide improved searching capabilities.

7.6.2 Mathematics & Science

For a print handicapped reader, access to mathematical and scientific material can often be very difficult, due to its complexity. Even with the full range of reading devices and alternate formats, digital representation and access of mathematical and scientific materials for blind readers poses significant challenges. There are a number of research projects around the world to this end:

7.6.3 AsTeR

Developed by Dr. T.V. Raman, of Adobe Systems/Adv. Tech. Group, AsTeR is a UNIX based audio formatter. It reads scientific documents aloud, using voice tone, speed and pauses to represent arrangement of text. For example, a subscript number would be spoken in a lower pitch than main body text. In a workshop on AsTeR at the California State University Conference on Technology and Persons with Disabilities, Dr. Raman identified the following as key challenges in bringing it to readers: most blind students are not using Unix, distribution and availability of support for learning AsTeR, and the production of files readable by AsTeR.

7.6.4 Unified Braille Code

The Unified Braille Code (UBC) project of the International Committee on English Braille is reengineering aspects of the English Braille Code in order to make it consistent between English speaking countries, and to make aspects of it more consistent with print. For example, the decimal point and the period are represented by the same print symbol, but in braille they are represented by different symbols. Under the Unified Braille Code, they would be the same. By following the print logic, braille becomes more translatable. Another aspect of the Unified Braille Code project is combining the Nemeth Braille Code for Mathematics with the Literary Braille Code. This potentially may make computerized translation of mathematics easier and faster.

7.6.5 DotsPlus

A project of John Gardiner of Oregon State University, (http://dots.physics.orst.edu/), DotsPlus is a braille reading system that combines braille characters with raised line print symbols. While DotsPlus poses some advantages, overall it may not be beneficial to braille readers. Simple symbols, such as plus and minus may be tactually legible, but the more complex symbols would be nearly impossible. Relying on print symbols within braille may have some use for people who used to have sight, and can conceptualize them, but for people who have never been able to read print, it may be more frustrating to have to conceptualize the symbols, than to read a braille cell.

7.6.6 Purdue Project

A translation program developed by David Schwarte of Purdue University, (schwarte@cc.purdue.edu) as part of a thesis translates WordPerfect chemical notation into ASCII braille characters. This could potentially be combined with a braille translator. If successful this project could fill a gap in braille production, because until a reliable mathematics braille translation program is available there is no way to take advantage of publishers' source files for producing mathematics braille. Until such a program is available mathematics braille will be manually transcribed.

7.7 Virtual Tactile

Tactile images are raised line representations of print images, such as maps, graphs, and illustrations. Two projects underway at Delaware State University (sem-info@asel.udel.edu) may indicate future trends for tactile production and reading.

7.7.1 Haptic Diagram Project

Using a special mouse that resembles a thimble mounted on the end of a robotic arm, the reader can feel the surface and contours of a virtual image. The reader inserts a finger in the thimble, and moves it, forwards/backwards, left/right, up/down. The robotic arm is interfaced with the computer graphics file, so as the reader moves his finger he will encounter resistance generated by the arm when he comes into simulated contact with the graphic image. This project is still in the alpha stage, but has tremendous potential for giving print handicapped readers access to digital images.

7.7.2 Tactile Project

Using computer graphics to generate stereocopy tactile diagrams is common practice for many producers. This project has applied various graphics programs to automate the design of master images. The image is scanned into digital format, using a standard scanner. It is then run through five separate processes to refine the image, and create a clean, simple graphic image suitable for output to stereocopy format. The stages are: blurring, region segmentation, edge detection, negation, and median filtering. This project has the potential to simplify the very labour intensive design process of sterocopy tactile.

Although many years from completion, both projects indicate how digital technology is changing the accessibility of graphics for print handicapped readers.