The XiMeRa
(pronounced chimera)
project seeks to provide an open-source method for converting LaTeX
documents into iPad (and other tablet-PC) e-texts. The key components
of our project are:
A content conversion tool Textbook authors are not
programmers, so we will create tools to convert traditional LaTeX
documents into interactive textbooks. This will allow for rapid
creation and editing of these applications.
A content navigator We recognize that the navigation of a
large document is a difficult task. We seek to design a content
navigator that will allow us to produce usable interactive
textbooks.
A JavaScript library From our experience of creating
interactive elements in JavaScript, we hope to construct a library
of common functionality that can be used to produce virtual
manipulatives in the future.
Here is a YouTube video that demonstrates our process.
Get Involved
There are several simple things you can do to
get involved with this project:
Write a LaTeX document and try our conversion process.
Write JavaScript interactive elements and share them with us.
Work on the content conversion tool or the content navigator.
Please feel free to email either Bart Snapp at
snapp@math.osu.edu, or Jim Fowler at fowler@math.osu.edu, if you have
trouble.
Status
While we are currently at a proof-of-concept stage, we hope to have
something that will allow anyone to create an iPad application
from LaTeX notes soon.
In the autumn of 2010, Snapp led a team of computer science
undergraduates (Sam Colburn, Gus Coliadis, Will
Mohr, and Jhovary Ruiz) in creating a "proof-of-concept" interactive
textbook for the iPad.
In the summer of 2011, Fowler and Snapp worked with a computer
science graduate student (Joo-Kyung Kim) on the content navigator.
In the fall of 2011, Fowler and Snapp worked on the content
conversion tool, ironing out many problems.
Currently, Fowler and Snapp are leading a team of computer
science graduate students (Shweta Kulkarni, Sai Prathyusha Peddi,
Aditi Singhal, and Diego Zaccai) in this project.
For more information on this project, email Bart Snapp at
snapp@math.osu.edu, or Jim Fowler at fowler@math.osu.edu.